Swimming on top of the ‘Water of life’

Sometimes it feels like it’s hard to remember when life wasn’t difficult, when it wasn’t a struggle, when we didn’t have to constantly swim to the top of the water to gasp for breath, only to sink back down and flail our arms and legs to get back up again to stay afloat.

After a while this just seems to be a part of life; never staying down, never staying up; up and down, up and down. How wonderful it would be to get to a place where we could make it to the top and just swim for awhile without being pulled back down. Yes, to just be floating on our back; weightless and carefree, with the water supporting us; cleansing and refreshing us would be so nice.

The Lord tells us “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus..” Phil.4:6

How we stay afloat in the water is very similar to how we stay afloat in life. What can be learned from this?

Imagine if we were stranded in the middle of a body of water because our boat sank. If we were foolish enough to try and take our baggage and belongings with us we would have to let it go or they would pull us down. In our lives we hold on tightly so many times, to the cares and anxieties of life that anchor our feet and pull us down. Guilt and shame hold us back and the disappointments and discouragement of our circumstances and situations weighs us down. In order to swim back to the top we need to look these things in the face and determine to let them float away into God’s hands; yes, float according to the truth in His Word. Bitterness and unforgiveness in our lives can paralyze us, these must be released. They must evaporate away into the water; or we could drown in them.

Can we step out and let the water of the Word sustain us; believing and trusting in His promises, as they lift us up to where we can stay and swim and float into His loving arms? He opens them wide to us. He knows our humanness; He knows our anxieties and concerns, and those feelings of being overwhelmed. He beckons us to stop clinging to what is pulling us down and release our control into His hands. He longs to help us.

One more thing to note: we would need to stay aware of the fact that as the days come and go, there will be baggage that comes floating alongside for us to grab onto. It also might try to attach itself to us. We must let it float right on by. Swim away from it. Swim around it or under it, but let the water of God’s Word hold us close and keep on swimming, with our focus on His promises. We mustn’t even look down through the water at the baggage lying on the bottom; that baggage we let go of already. We might be tempted to swim down and pick it up. Eventually, it will break apart in the water and be taken care of, but we must leave it alone.

As we learn to let the cares and disappointments go, we will find in this journey of life, we are able to swim on top of the water, and smile as we float in His peace.

Joanie Millier
I love writing and have enjoyed journaling all my life. I’ve been writing articles for Jewels Magazine over the last year, and love sharing about the Lord and encouraging others in our faith. I’m a published author of a children’s book:”Help,Lord! I Need A Bandage On My Heart.” I’m almost ready to publish my second book in the “Help Lord” series in a few months. In 2009 I received a diploma from LongRidge Writers Group, and I received an Honorable Mention Certificate in the Writer’s Digest 76th Annual Writing Competition. I feel very priviledged to have this opportunity to write for Jewels Magazine.