FEELING
THE BUBBLES

Topics: Confusion; Darkness; Discernment; Doubt; Emotions; Feelings; Questions; Scripture; Truth

References: Psalm 43:3; 119:105; Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39; 2 Timothy 3:16

A scuba diver told me that he had been in water so deep and dark that it was almost impossible to keep from becoming disoriented. What a terrifying feeling—being underwater, unable to see your hands in front of your face, not knowing which way is up, panic engulfing you. I asked my friend, “So what do you do?”

“Feel the bubbles,” he said.

“Feel the bubbles?” I asked.

“That’s right. When it’s pitch-black and you have no idea which way to go, you reach up with your hand and feel the bubbles. The bubbles always drift to the surface. When you can’t trust your feelings or judgment, you can always trust the bubbles to get you back to the top.”

Sometimes in life we get disoriented and desperate. At other times, we find ourselves drifting aimlessly. God knew we would need advice and instructions about how to live. In the sixty-six books of the Bible, we have a reality library—stories, letters, guidelines, and examples from God that tell us what is true and real.

—Terry Carter, Scott Duvall, and Daniel Hays, Preaching God’s Word (Zondervan, 2005)