I can't swim.
I know it's easy. I'm not afraid of the water. But there is nothing under my feet, if I actually am gonna swim. No safety net.
For the last couple of weekends, we have all been going to the pool at least once a week. And my dad and brother started trying to teach me. My sib decided I just didn't have a choice but to learn. And so he took the job for himself.
He wanted me to go under water. He wanted me to let go and do this froggy thing and make my way to him. He let me go and told me to come to him.
And because I trust him, I did it. I let go. And I made my way - under water - to him. I discovered it wasn't so bad. I got a little comfortable and ventured out farther away and tried it again. Did pretty good. Felt a little better. My coach was close enough to touch and then he'd start walking back little by little and coaxing me to him. And I'd make it. I'd do just fine til I realized there was nothing there to catch me if something should happen. And then, I'd panic. And THAT'S when something would happen. I'd start sinking.
Then we go this weekend and one of my girlfriends goes with. She has swam competitively and she has taught and also been a lifeguard. We've been buds since we were little girls and I trust her. Implicitly.
So she throws this little weighted stick in the water and says 'go get it.' As in, dive down and pick up the stick. I'm thinking 'whateva, heffa.' But she looks at me, busts out laughin, and says 'go get it.' So like a nut, I go get it. And I think. 'Hmm. ok.' So I start doing it on my own.
And then she says, lets go to the deep end. As in THIRTEEN FEET of water. As in THERE IS NO GROUND UNDER MY FEET-deep water. Hmmm. Not really. But she's done this. She knows what she's doing. How bad can it be? Sit on the edge, and dive in. Come straight back up and tread water. Kick your feet and move you arms. Just push the water out the way.
THE HECK U SAY.
But. She knows what she's doing. I'm safe. It's alright. So I dive and then I come back up and tread water. And I'm good, til I realize I'm far away from the wall and she is not right there. I panic. And I start drowning. But then, my brother is right there and he grabs me. And she is right there and she's helpin too. Between the two of em, I'm alright. And then that girl lost her mind and said. Ok. Do it again.... 'HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND???'
Dude. I almost drowned. I'm not doin that again.
But she insists.So I do it again. And this time, I do better than the first time. Don't even come close to drowning. I'm good. My coaches do their own thing. I am not the only focus anymore, but they are right there, paying attention ready to come if I need. And it turns out just fine. Better, in fact, than I expect.
We leave and head home to shower and hang out until my dad finishes grilling. And in the shower, it dawns on me that my issue with the whole swimming thing boils down to trust.
I'm good when I'm not thinking about. But as soon as I realize that I have to let go and simply go with it, I get nervous. I'm not in control anymore. I dont trust that I have the ability to navigate the depth. I don't trust that I will be saved if I get too far out.
It's like that with our lives. As long as we are in control, we never realize our true potential or ability. It takes being willing to let go if we are to ever discover the depths of the lives we live and steward. It takes trusting that the Creator - the one who made you and me both - KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. He's got it. If we would just take His word for it, just follow His lead and do what He says, we'll be fine. And if, by chance, we start to sink, He's there. He'll catch us. Even when we can't feel the bottom, when our circumstances seem to be spinning out of our grasp, just like swimming, if we will relax and simply do it, it all works together and the trip to the shore is much much easier - and shorter.
We have to learn to stop trusting ourselves and start trusting the Coach. We have to know that the Instructor is the one who has all the experience. We can't tell Him what to do; HE tells us. We have got to get over this idea that WE know best and recognize that HE is the one who orchestrated all this to begin with, so we can't possibly know better than He does.
His word says that the student is never greater than the teacher.
We would do well to remember this. To take it to heart and to really just learn the lesson and apply it to our lives.
God's got it. We just need to trust Him and follow His directions. And eventually, instead of just treading the water of our lives, we'll be swimming - experiencing it all: diving, playing, going deeper and deeper, and ok that we can't feel the ground, cuz we know He's there and He's given us the skills to navigate the depths.
He's in control and we don't have to be.
I know it's easy. I'm not afraid of the water. But there is nothing under my feet, if I actually am gonna swim. No safety net.
For the last couple of weekends, we have all been going to the pool at least once a week. And my dad and brother started trying to teach me. My sib decided I just didn't have a choice but to learn. And so he took the job for himself.
He wanted me to go under water. He wanted me to let go and do this froggy thing and make my way to him. He let me go and told me to come to him.
And because I trust him, I did it. I let go. And I made my way - under water - to him. I discovered it wasn't so bad. I got a little comfortable and ventured out farther away and tried it again. Did pretty good. Felt a little better. My coach was close enough to touch and then he'd start walking back little by little and coaxing me to him. And I'd make it. I'd do just fine til I realized there was nothing there to catch me if something should happen. And then, I'd panic. And THAT'S when something would happen. I'd start sinking.
Then we go this weekend and one of my girlfriends goes with. She has swam competitively and she has taught and also been a lifeguard. We've been buds since we were little girls and I trust her. Implicitly.
So she throws this little weighted stick in the water and says 'go get it.' As in, dive down and pick up the stick. I'm thinking 'whateva, heffa.' But she looks at me, busts out laughin, and says 'go get it.' So like a nut, I go get it. And I think. 'Hmm. ok.' So I start doing it on my own.
And then she says, lets go to the deep end. As in THIRTEEN FEET of water. As in THERE IS NO GROUND UNDER MY FEET-deep water. Hmmm. Not really. But she's done this. She knows what she's doing. How bad can it be? Sit on the edge, and dive in. Come straight back up and tread water. Kick your feet and move you arms. Just push the water out the way.
THE HECK U SAY.
But. She knows what she's doing. I'm safe. It's alright. So I dive and then I come back up and tread water. And I'm good, til I realize I'm far away from the wall and she is not right there. I panic. And I start drowning. But then, my brother is right there and he grabs me. And she is right there and she's helpin too. Between the two of em, I'm alright. And then that girl lost her mind and said. Ok. Do it again.... 'HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND???'
Dude. I almost drowned. I'm not doin that again.
But she insists.So I do it again. And this time, I do better than the first time. Don't even come close to drowning. I'm good. My coaches do their own thing. I am not the only focus anymore, but they are right there, paying attention ready to come if I need. And it turns out just fine. Better, in fact, than I expect.
We leave and head home to shower and hang out until my dad finishes grilling. And in the shower, it dawns on me that my issue with the whole swimming thing boils down to trust.
I'm good when I'm not thinking about. But as soon as I realize that I have to let go and simply go with it, I get nervous. I'm not in control anymore. I dont trust that I have the ability to navigate the depth. I don't trust that I will be saved if I get too far out.
It's like that with our lives. As long as we are in control, we never realize our true potential or ability. It takes being willing to let go if we are to ever discover the depths of the lives we live and steward. It takes trusting that the Creator - the one who made you and me both - KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. He's got it. If we would just take His word for it, just follow His lead and do what He says, we'll be fine. And if, by chance, we start to sink, He's there. He'll catch us. Even when we can't feel the bottom, when our circumstances seem to be spinning out of our grasp, just like swimming, if we will relax and simply do it, it all works together and the trip to the shore is much much easier - and shorter.
We have to learn to stop trusting ourselves and start trusting the Coach. We have to know that the Instructor is the one who has all the experience. We can't tell Him what to do; HE tells us. We have got to get over this idea that WE know best and recognize that HE is the one who orchestrated all this to begin with, so we can't possibly know better than He does.
His word says that the student is never greater than the teacher.
We would do well to remember this. To take it to heart and to really just learn the lesson and apply it to our lives.
God's got it. We just need to trust Him and follow His directions. And eventually, instead of just treading the water of our lives, we'll be swimming - experiencing it all: diving, playing, going deeper and deeper, and ok that we can't feel the ground, cuz we know He's there and He's given us the skills to navigate the depths.
He's in control and we don't have to be.
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