So what about when we're drowning in something that isn't water? What about pain, grief, sorrow, guilt, disappointment, loneliness, bitterness, fear? What do we reach for then? I came to this same question last night when I realized that the things I was reaching for were just sinking with me. When one would fail to fix the problem, it only increased my dispair.
It is so easy to rely on the things of this world for support or rescue. You see it all the time with anyone who seeks a substance or activity to escape from their day to day problems. For me its people. I rely so much on the people around me. However, I forget that people are just that... just people. They aren't perfect.
I've had some problems with a friend recently. These problems have left me sad, hurt, and sometimes even bitter toward the source. I keep thinking the friend will stop doing what they're doing, and everything will be OK again. I talk to my husband about it and more often than not I'm left more upset, because he doesn't completely understand, nor is he able to fix the problem. It wasn't until last night, in a bout of feeling particularly hopeless and lost, that I realized something just wasn't clicking.
That realization brought me to one of my favorite passages in the Bible:
"When evening came, He [Jesus] was there alone. But the boat was already over a mile from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning, He came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. Immediately Jesus spoke to them.“Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”
“Come!” He said And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those in the boat worshiped Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God!”" (Matthew 14:23-33)
I love this passage for so many reasons. I am always inspired my the faith it took Peter to climb out of the boat, his comfort zone, and onto the crashing waves. However, once he gets out to where the Lord has called him, it's still not all peachy keen.
But what does Peter do when he begins to sink? He doesn't turn around and start swimming back to the boat. He doesn't cry out to the disciples in the boat to save him. He keeps looking forward and calls out to the only one who can save him. He looks to Jesus.
So long story short, when God calls you to a place in your life, or puts someone in it for a reason (or takes them out) don't think he is going to make it easy. Christ didn't die to make things easy; he died to make them possible. So don't go back where you were when where you are.is too hard. Don't rely on other people to "make everything OK."
What are you drowning in today? And to what or whom are you reaching to pull you back up? Look forward. Cry out to Jesus.
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