你沒有偏離方向！
作者：莎拉-懷滕 SARA WHITTEN
來源：以利亞名單
日期：2023.2.4
翻譯：Kate
轉載、轉寄 請註明出處：國度禱告網
順風而行
最近，我注意到我周圍有一種明顯的混亂和困惑的感覺。一天早上，當我與主同坐時，祂告訴我，"你只是在風中航行"。經過一番研究，我的發現既令人驚訝又令人鼓舞。在一艘以帆為動力的船上，你不能直接逆風航行。因此，為了迎風航行，你必須採取一種叫做"跳動"的"之 "字形方法，這是一種叫做"攻勢"的動作的一部分（類似於騎自行車遇到非常陡峭的地形時的迴旋）。
在這個過程中，你似乎偏離了方向，因為你沒有指向你的目的地；但實際上，這些策略支點使你能夠逆風航行。龍骨（船的一小部分，不在視線範圍內，在水面以下）負責逆風穩定和轉向。決定你航向的是你如何在風中定位你的龍骨和船帆--而不是風的方向。
在大風的航行條件下，你的方向可以使你體驗到天氣的所有不同。逆風航行會讓人感覺到更大的浪和更強的風。一個航海網站甚至指出，沒有經驗的水手通常會認為天氣變壞了，或者他們已經偏離了航向，但這其實只是風的影響！在風中航行需要一個有經驗的水手。在風中航行需要有經驗的水手，因為在強風中保持航向會帶來長時間的"不適"和"精神損耗"。有一句話引起了我的注意："經驗不足的水手選擇犧牲小時和英里來換取良好的休息"（www.sailorscompass.com）。
策略性、屬靈的攻堅戰
我聽到這句話是對堅持不懈的呼喚，也是主的鼓勵。如果你覺得事情一直偏離方向，只是在再次偏離方向之前又回到了原點，那麼這個話語就是為你準備的。與其用你的力量來對抗不利的環境，主可能為你安排了一個策略性的、屬靈的"攻堅戰"--也許是"角度"或方法的輕微改變，使你即使面對風暴也能堅持下去。
爭戰就在你的腦海中。迎著風航行時，波浪和風可能看起來更大更強，但現實是這只是一種感知。主在呼召你，不要讓問題和敵人的干擾恐嚇你，讓你以表面的名義改變你的路線。在現實中，儘管看起來如何，實際上在妥協的道路上和在堅韌的道路上會有同樣的風和浪，但堅韌會使你保持方向。隨著主的成熟和更新你的思想，你不會為了舒適而犧牲方向，最終像沒有經驗的水手一樣，耗費時間和里程。"只要憑著信心求，一點不疑惑；因為那疑惑的人，就像海中的波浪，被風吹動翻騰。"（雅各書1:6）
那麼什麼是我們的龍骨？是什麼讓我們保持正確的方向？我發現 "龍骨 （keel）"這個字與 "跪"（kneel）只差一個字母，這不是巧合。當我們跪下時，我們正在做兩件事，使我們持續在我們的航線上：與上帝對話和降服。"看哪，船隻雖然甚大，又被大風催逼，只用小小的舵，就隨著掌舵的意思轉動。"（雅各書3:4）
YOU'RE NOT OFF COURSE!
SARA WHITTEN, KERRVILLE, TX
JUST SAILING INTO THE WIND
Recently, I have noticed that there has been a palpable feeling of chaos and confusion around me. As I sat with the Lord one morning, He told me, "You're just sailing into the wind." After a little research, what I found was both surprising and encouraging. You can't sail directly against the wind in a sail-powered boat. So in order to sail into the wind, you must take a zig-zag approach called "beating," which is part of a maneuver called "tacking" (similar to switchbacking when encountering really steep terrain on a bicycle).
In this process, it would appear that you are veering off course, since you're not pointed toward your destination; but actually, these strategic pivots enable you to sail against the wind. The keel (a small part of the boat that is out of sight and below the water) is responsible for stabilizing against the winds and steering. It's about how you position your keel and sails in the wind – not the direction of the wind – that determines your course.
During windy sailing conditions, the way you are facing can make all the difference in how you experience the weather. Sailing against the wind can give off the appearance of bigger waves and stronger wind. One sailing website even noted that it's common for inexperienced sailors to think the weather has worsened or that they have steered off course, but it's really just an effect of the wind! Sailing into the wind requires an experienced sailor because of the extended "discomfort" and "mental wear" of maintaining course in the presence of strong winds. A sentence caught my eye: "Less experienced sailors choose to sacrifice hours and miles in exchange for a good rest" (www.sailorscompass.com).
STRATEGIC, SPIRITUAL TACKING
I heard this as a call to perseverance and an encouragement from the Lord. If you have felt like things keep veering off course, only to get back on course before deviating again, this word is for you. Instead of spending your strength fighting adverse circumstances, there may be a strategic, spiritual "tacking" that the Lord has for you – perhaps a slight change in "angle" or approach that allows you to persevere even in the face of the storm.
The battle is in your mind. Waves and winds may appear larger and stronger when sailing into the wind, but the reality is it's only a perception. The Lord is calling you to not let problems and distractions of the enemy intimidate you into changing your course in the name of appearances. In reality, despite how it looks, there would actually be the same wind and waves on the path of compromise as there would be on the path of perseverance, but perseverance will keep you on course. As the Lord matures and renews your mind, you won't sacrifice direction for comfort and end up like inexperienced sailors, costing hours and miles. "But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6).
So what is our keel? What keeps us on course? I find it no coincidence that the word "keel" is one letter off from the word "kneel." When we kneel, we are doing the two things that keep us sustained on our course: conversation with God and surrender. "Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires" (James 3:4).