Earlier this year, my family spent a beautiful day at the beach. Sunshine, sand, and big blue waves brought a smile to my face, beckoning me to come and play alongside my two boys.
As we waded farther out, the waves grew stronger. I sensed I should remove my prescription sunglasses before I lost them. I took them off, but the bright sunshine made it difficult to see, so I put them back on and decided to walk back to the beach.
But watching others—young and old—having so much fun in the waves made me want to join them with my boys. This time, I took off my sunglasses, put them safely in a bag near our towels, and headed back into the ocean.
The waves were powerful! Several times, they knocked me off my feet and sent me crashing into the sand. Eventually, I made it far enough out to ride the waves or duck beneath them before they broke. My boys and I were having a blast until a powerful wave swept over one of them and knocked his goggles away.
We searched for the goggles but found nothing. We prayed, but they were still nowhere to be found.
Wearing my prescription sunglasses, I walked along the shoreline, hoping to spot the missing goggles. But my son wanted me to venture farther into the water to help search. I hesitated because I had already experienced the power of those waves and didn't want to risk losing my expensive sunglasses. Yet without them, I struggled to see clearly.
Finally, somewhat reluctantly, I decided to venture just a little farther into the ocean.
Just five more feet.
Suddenly, a powerful wave caught me by surprise, knocked me off my feet, and washed over me.
As I lay in the water, a terrible realization hit me.
Where are my sunglasses?
They were gone!
Desperately, I reached into the water, hoping to grab them before the undertow carried them away.
Nothing.
“No!” I thought.
The very thing I had tried so hard to avoid had happened.
I was frustrated and upset. One question kept running through my mind: Why had I risked losing my $250+ prescription sunglasses to search for a $20 pair of goggles? Worse yet, instead of taking full responsibility for my decision, I found myself blaming others.
Later that day, as I continued reflecting on what had happened, two questions came to mind: Why did this happen, and what can I learn from it?
What began as a disappointing experience at the beach became an opportunity for God to teach me three valuable lessons.
Three Lessons Learned
- Don't Let Your Emotions Blind You: I knew the danger. I had experienced the power of those waves and had already decided not to enter the water with my sunglasses on. Nevertheless, I crossed the very boundary I had set for myself. Why? I allowed my emotions to influence my decision more than the wisdom I had already gained. My desire to help find the goggles was good, but my decision to risk losing my sunglasses was not wise. The Bible reminds us: "Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way" (Proverbs 19:2 ESV). How often do we let our emotions blind us to dangers right in front of us? I've allowed this to happen more times than I care to admit, sometimes without even realizing it until afterward. With God's help, I want to recognize when my emotions are influencing my decisions and choose wisdom over impulse. Before acting on your emotions, ask yourself: Am I making this decision because it is wise, or because of how I feel right now?
- Seek Counsel—and Listen: Afterward, my wife, Michelle, shared something that made perfect sense. “Tony, you didn't need your prescription sunglasses to search for the goggles. All you needed was your hands to feel around in the water.” She was right! Why hadn't I thought of that? I had focused on doing something to help without stopping to consider whether I was approaching the situation wisely. I was simply “checking the box” rather than thinking through the problem in front of me. The Bible says: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed" (Proverbs 15:22 NIV). How often do we rush into situations without asking someone else for advice? Sometimes, the answer we need is obvious to someone else, but we are too distracted, frustrated, or proud to recognize it. Oh, how I wish I had stopped and talked with Michelle before venturing farther into the ocean! Her simple observation might have saved my sunglasses. I've learned that asking for advice isn't a sign of weakness but an opportunity to gain wisdom. Before making your next difficult decision, consider this: Have I taken time to seek counsel—and am I willing to listen?
- Pause and Pray—Especially When Emotions Run High: I've been learning to pray more often about both the little and big things in life, but I noticed something important that day. Pausing to pray comes more naturally when I'm calm. When frustration or other strong emotions take over, I'm more likely to act first and think later. Although we had prayed about finding the goggles, I hadn't personally paused to ask God for wisdom before deciding to venture farther into the waves with my sunglasses on. What a difference that pause might have made! The Bible gives us this beautiful promise: "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5 NASB). God invites us to ask Him for wisdom—not just when facing major decisions, but also in the ordinary moments of life. If I had paused and prayed before taking those extra steps into the ocean, I believe I’d still have my sunglasses! But the greater lesson isn't about protecting a pair of expensive sunglasses. It's about learning to depend more fully on God. When emotions are running high, will you react immediately—or pause long enough to invite God to guide your next step?
Call to Action: What Are Your Lost Sunglasses?
Looking back over the past week, month, or year, what have been your lost sunglasses?
Perhaps you've lost something valuable, made a decision you regret, reacted emotionally, or faced an unexpected challenge.
Whatever the situation, consider asking yourself:
- What can I learn from this experience?
- Did I allow my emotions to influence my decisions?
- Did I seek wise counsel and listen?
- Did I pause and ask God for guidance?
- Have I thanked God, even in the midst of disappointment?
The Bible encourages us: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Although I certainly wasn't thankful to lose my expensive sunglasses, I'm grateful that God can use even frustrating experiences to teach me valuable lessons.
That day, I lost my sunglasses, but I gained something far more valuable: a reminder to guard my emotions, seek wise counsel, and pause to pray.
Sometimes, what we learn from what we've lost can be more valuable than what we've lost.
The next time life's waves come crashing in, let’s remember to pause, pray, and seek God's wisdom—so that even in life's disappointments, others may see Jesus in us.
Unless noted otherwise, scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture noted as NIV above is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman \ Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
