Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Seasickness can be a very unpleasant experience for an individual. If you have ever had motion sickness when travelling in a car or an amusement park ride, you may also be susceptible to seasickness while in a boat. The unpleasant feeling of dizziness, nausea, and fatigue is a result of a conflict in the inner ear, where the human balance mechanism resides, and the unpleasant feeling usually goes away when the motion stops.

While travelling in a boat, the erratic motion on the water can cause one to be seasick. And the solution to the problem is usually to look straight ahead at a fixed point, such as the horizon. In addition, relax and breathe slowly while focusing on the breathing. It is amazing how looking straight ahead at the horizon instantly makes you feel better. Therefore, it is safe to assume that when your focus is on your immediate surroundings (the waves and the erratic motion of the boat) you feel terrible; but when your focus is on the far horizon, you are able to ride the very same unstable environment with ease.

The ride of life is very similar, isn’t it? Often, the wind and the waves of life can cause our souls to feel anxious, and uncomfortable in many ways. When our focus is on our immediate surroundings—problems, challenges, disappointments, and heartbreaks—the anxiety can envelop us and steal our joy and peace. The erratic motion of your lifeboat has caused you to feel seasick. But God’s Word reminds us to set our sights on the far horizon, the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. God’s Word reminds us to think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. We already know that we are headed to God’s kingdom. We know that we are citizens of heaven; a place where there is no sorrow, no pain, and no tears. We know our God is a God of justice. We know our future is in a place where there is immense love and joy for eternity.

Therefore, set your sights on the realities of heaven. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Relax and breathe slowly while thanking God for the breath. Look straight ahead at the horizon. Remember the story of Peter walking on water? As long as Peter’s eyes were on Jesus, he walked on water. Amazing! Peter literally walked on water! But as soon as he saw the wind and the waves, he began to sink. Lesson learned: keep your eyes on Jesus. The apostle Paul was beaten, stoned, left to die, was in a shipwreck, thrown into prison, rejected by friends… and yet he set his sights on heaven, not the things of earth. And as a result, we have much of the New Testament that he wrote to encourage us to do the same.

We live in a world full of turmoil. We live in a very volatile world where anything could happen anytime. Amidst the chaos, there are people and acquaintances who try to influence our thoughts in one way or another. But let us heed God’s Word and set our sights on what we know to be true. Let us think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Life’s “seasickness” has no hold over those whose sights are set on the realities of heaven.

By Santosh Chandran, Bible League International staff, New Zealand