Navigating Out of the Doldrums with the Wind of God

“Day after day, day after day, we stuck, nor breath nor motion; as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean.” These were the desperate words of the 18^th century English poet Samuel Coleridge as he penned the “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Caught in the doldrums, the vessel he described was hopelessly and inextricably trapped in dead waters. The ship and crew could do little but wait…and wait…and wait…until they drifted out of the dead calm or perished from lack of supplies. But there was another side to the doldrums that was even more perilous…ship-sinking storms! Within those equatorial regions, severe weather could quickly arise with enormous thunderstorms and violent rushing winds of hurricane strength. Either way, the poor soul caught in the doldrums was...“Dead in the Water!”

The Doldrums…they’re impossible dilemmas of life with no apparent way out. It could be emotional doldrums where you feel despondent and listless with no purpose, no job and no future. Perhaps it’s a loveless marriage resigned to a dull existence. It could be a dead-end job that absolutely drains the life out of you. Then suddenly the dead waters erupt into violent confrontations that threaten your livelihood. Or maybe you’re experiencing spiritual stagnation. The heavens appear as bronze and you just go through the motions of religion without the life of God stirring your heart. So, how can you navigate out of the impossible doldrums of life? Consider this strategy:

1. Break Out of Your Mold and Think Outside of Your Box. As impossible as it seems, a savvy captain trapped in the doldrums would put his crew in rowboats with oars to begin towing his ship out of dead water. Think out-of the-box for solutions that bring hope. Sometimes it’s a simple as changing a boring routine. Einstein said, “Problems cannot be solved at the same level that created them.” Open your mind to God’s mind…“For nothing will be impossible with God.”—Luke 1:37

2. Weave Yourself Into God. To a people weary from exile, Isaiah wrote…“Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”—Is. 40:31. Here’s insight into that passage: the word “wait” in Hebrew has the connotation of “binding together”…like stands of a rope. When you “weave” (bind) yourself into God, you’ll be drawing on His strength, not your own!

3. Listen Intently for a Word from God. Paul’s small vessel was assailed by an immense storm at sea. When all hope was abandoned, he stood up and cried to the crew, “This very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.”—Acts 27:20-24. Nothing can calm your fears and bring peace to your soul like a sure word from God.

4. Expect the Wind of God’s Spirit to Fill Your Sails. When you’ve trusted God and have done all that you know to do, that’s when God takes over. When all human efforts to resolve a hopeless dilemma fail, trust God! He’s aware of you, your faith and your cries for help (Ex. 3:7-8). Then when your ship begins to move through dead waters without natural wind or energy, you’ll know it’s the Lord who is doing this for you. But, listen closely, my friend. The wind of God’s Spirit can never fill your Sails unless He fills your Soul first! And that only happens when you hunger and thirst to be filled with His righteousness, joy and peace (Matt. 5:6; Rom 15:13).

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