Near the church where I am pastor in New Zealand, there is a marina and a modern-day ferry terminal. It's a ferry that goes across the ocean to Auckland City. Amazingly, we always board the boat at the same place, even though the water level is different every time. The secret is that the place where we can board the ship moves with the water level. If I want to get a taste of what it's like to be on a boat, I go up here. I did that a few days ago. There are waves and swaying along the waves. It feels like being on a boat.

  Now that I'm practicing at this, I don't get motion sickness. I can sense it coming. But I don't, because I know how to avoid it. I thought for a moment about how to explain it. I'm not sure it's the right approach, but I'll use the analogy of driving in everyday life. I've never met anyone who gets motion sickness while driving a car. Of course, I've seen people who are tired or struggling, but using that approach, I think that if you were driving a boat, you probably wouldn't get seasick.

  To be more specific, it seems that seasickness is caused by the body rejecting the waves caused by the waves. The same is true for cars and airplanes. I'm particularly sensitive to airplanes and going to high altitudes. And when there is a shake or a steep descent due to air currents, it feels like my entire intestine is sinking. What I realized with repeated flights is that it comes from not being able to let go of the plane. 

  In musical terms, I get motion sickness because I can't get into the rhythm. The rhythm is the wave or sway of the ocean. When an airplane flies, you just have to accept the air currents and clouds it encounters. It's the same principle as the rotation of the earth, which is huge, and you just have to go with it. In this sense, I think our lives are like that.

  The only variable is when the journey is long, and while we can follow the rhythm for some time, how do we beat the threat of motion sickness for more than 24 hours and more than a week? My clinical realization is to think about the destination and what you expect to find there. Use your imagination and see yourself getting there and feeling relieved. Of course, the process is still hard and painful. But having a strong faith that I will get there has been very effective in getting me through. 

  I am reminded of the words of the writer of Hebrews: “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” (11:6) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (11:1)