Norman Vincent Peale used to tell the story of a struggling businessman who reached a turning point in life after seeing a picture of a boat stuck in the sand. The caption said, "The Tide Always Comes Back."

Most of us make two mistakes in life. When things are good we tend to think they will always be good. When things are bad, we tend to think they will always be bad.

But both ideas are wrong. Life, and all that goes with it -- our marriage, ministry, relationships, finances, our "approval rating", etc. -- tends to go up and down in cycles. As the old hymn says, there is an ebb and flow to life.

There is one constant in all of this: God's faithfulness to us. And our ability to thrive depends on our faithfulness to him.

Today, whether your tide is in or out, lean on the faithfulness of God. Be thankful for his goodness; be thankful for his mercy.