Below is Malibu — and below is the narrow inlet boats must navigate through during very limited periods of time, due to tides and rocks.

Every action has results. 

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.  Gal. 6:7-8

True story.  Several years ago, a yacht wrecked at Malibu, a Young Life camp in Canada.  It was grounded so high upon a rock that after the tide went back out, it was almost completely out of the water.

Apparently the owner of the boat said to his captain, “I want to wake up at Chatter Box Falls.”  The captain said, “Sir, we cannot go through the rapids at this time.  We will have to wait for high tide, which is not until morning.”

The owner of the boat could only see the water’s surface.  It appeared that this boat could navigate through the rapids into the inlet with no problem.  The captain, however, knew the real story.  The captain had charts that told him the depths, the width, and most importantly, the whereabouts of the large rocks that were immovable!  The owner forced his way – and the rest is history.  (Or shall we say, blog material!) 

Today it’s not just boats that get “grounded.”  My observation, after being in leadership positions for over 25 years,  is that leaders get grounded, stuck, dashed on the rocks they cannot see at first glance.

The rocks are dangerous.  They can “take you out.”  The world covers them up so you can’t see them.  The world wants you to take the risk.  The world secretly wants you to be “run aground” and be exposed.  My observation is that just beneath the surface of all our lives there are lurking rocks.  Here are a couple that I have seen run lives aground . . .

• Rock of Alcohol – I have seen this rock cause a huge amount of damage.  I’ve watched people’s marriages destroyed, jobs lost, hope lost, and health lost.  This rock is just under the surface, and it can cause some serious damage.

• Rock of Sexual Sin – Today we are surrounded by sexual images, songs, and of course, we are always one click away from anything.  We also live in a society where we can isolate our habits, which is always a strategy of the evil one to take us out.  Don’t be deceived, the tip of this rock may appear attractive – it will destroy.

• Rock of “skewed integrity” – This is where we convince ourselves that something is right, when it is not.  This is where we are doing something we shouldn’t be, but somehow, we angle it in our minds so that we think it’s o.k..   Keeping your integrity will never run you aground.

• Rock of Bitterness – This is one that surprises people.  This could come from something that has happened to you, or against you in the past.  It keeps a lid on how high you can travel in your life and it acts as an anchor holding you as its prisoner.  Learn to forgive – forgiveness sets you free.

• Rock of Comparison – What robs more people I know of enjoying their own life?  Looking over their shoulder at what others have and wanting what they don’t have.  Comparison always robs us of our own contentedness.

These rocks, any one of them, can take you out of being all that God intends you to be.  Each one of these rocks can alter your perspective so that you are not seeing clearly – you may even go against the charts, the captain, and reason saying, “I want to wake up at Chatter Box Falls!”

Today look at your own life, your own leadership, your own ministry, your own “world,” and do your own internal navigation.  What rocks lurk beneath the surface of your life that could take your out, run you aground, cause you pain?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Here’s to a great week!

Eric Scofield