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In the age of social media and selfies, we all want our life to look perfect. 

When I took this photo under a pier on the surf coast of Victoria, Australia, I had already spent an hour photographing the beach with the lighthouse in the background and the gorgeous wooden pier. I wanted a perfect photo that would make people stop scrolling on Instagram. 

Then I walked under the pier and saw all the grime and mildew underneath … and realized that this pier was a symbol of real life. One minute our lives can look like a perfect beach, but the next minute we’re “under the pier” facing some sort of mess. 

While we often try to hide our mess from others, it's often in the times that our lives are “under the pier” that we experience God the most and grow spiritually, because we have no choice but to persevere. As my friend Andy Stanley says, "spiritual maturity is measured in terms of persevering faith, not perfect behavior.” It’s when life is a mess that we rely on the message of God to be a lighthouse guiding us to safety. 

If you’re “under the pier” today, I pray that you will hear God's voice as He guides you to safety.

For reflection:

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." — John 16:33