faith unfaded

I didn’t expect to bring home an invisible souvenir from my first cruise. I thought it would be seashells, sand in my shoes, maybe a few too many photos of sunsets. Instead, I came back with “dock rock.”

If you’ve never cruised, that’s what they call the lingering sway you sometimes feel after you’re back on land. Your eyes see solid ground, but your body still thinks you’re on a ship. The rocking stays with you for days, maybe even a week.

I was surprised. I hadn’t been seasick even once on the cruise. Perhaps those summer sunset cruises had prepared me for the trip. They didn’t prepare me for the aftermath.

At first, I thought it was funny. Everywhere I walked felt like the floor was moving, even though I knew it wasn’t. But the longer it went on, the more I realized how much it resembled life.

Because sometimes the storm ends, but the swaying doesn’t.

A crisis finally passes, but the adrenaline still hums through your chest. A painful season winds down, but the emotions still replay. A prayer is answered, yet the heart takes longer to rest in the calm. The storm is over — but inside, you still feel rocked.

The disciples knew what that was like. In Mark 4:39, when Jesus spoke, “Peace, be still,” the wind obeyed instantly. The sea went calm. But can you imagine the men in that boat? Their bodies still shaky, their hearts still pounding, the echo of fear not gone in a moment. Jesus calmed the waves, but He also had to calm their spirits.

That’s what He does for us, too. He speaks peace not only to our circumstances but also to our hearts. Even when we feel the dock rock of life’s storms, He steadies us from the inside out.

Maybe you’re in that place right now. On the outside, everything looks fine — the storm has passed. But inwardly, you’re still swaying. You’re still bracing yourself for waves that aren’t even coming.

Here’s the good news: feelings aren’t the measure of your faith. Just because you still feel the sway doesn’t mean you’re sinking. Christ’s peace is deeper than your dizziness. His presence is more stable than your shifting ground.

So today, let yourself lean into Him instead of fighting the wobble. He’s already spoken calm over your storm, and He will anchor you until your balance returns.

In the meantime, sink into a lounge chair and relax until the shakiness stops. That’s exactly what I plan to do!