Playlist Prompts #2: "Burn The Ships"

Hello, friends! Today's prompt, courtesy of Rachel, is the song "Burn The Ships" by For King and Country.

The premise of this song comes from the story of an explorer going to a new land. He tries to send his crew out to explore, but they prefer to stay in the familiar safety of the ships. So, he orders the ships to be burned to eliminate the possibility of retreat. 

Sometimes I wish I had that option. I wish my problems were that tangible and obvious and straightforward. I want something to burn! 

How do I "cut the ties" when there's nothing to cut? 

How can I "burn" loneliness and bitterness and anxiety?

The fact is that we can't, but Jesus already has.

It's the Sunday school answer. It's John 3:16. It's the part of Scripture everyone parrots back when they can't think of anything else to say. And it's the truth.

You remember the poem "Footprints in the Sand"? It describes God walking along a beach with you. There are always two pairs of footprints in the sand. But you notice that sometimes, in the particularly hard times of your life, there is only one pair of footprints, and you say to God, "I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me." And he replies, "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Sweet, right? 

I don't remember where I heard this, but I would prefer it if the poem was called "Buttprints in the Sand". Now, hear me out. Same premise, except there is only ever one pair of footprints, and occasionally, during the particularly hard times of your life, you notice buttprints on the sand. You ask God, "What happened there?" And he replies, "Well, I was carrying you through life, and those are the times that you jumped out of my arms and fell."

The ships we need to burn - we created them, but we can't destroy them. Only God can. He works through us to do it, but it's His work, not ours. He can "cut the ties" when there's nothing to cut. He can "burn" intangible things like loneliness and bitterness and anxiety. He can, he has, and he continues to do so every day. We can trust in that.