I was swimming back & forth, logging my time and effort in my daily swim. The pool wasn’t crowded today, just the usual scattered number of folks doing their daily exercise. I noticed the lady at the side of the pool again…I see her when I’m here each week. She stays in the same place, on the side in the shallow end, doing her exercises. As I was passing her for my 5th lap, she said : “I wish I could swim like you do”.
I told her she could—No, she said. It was too intimidating and she was too scared. So I showed her how to float, let her body relax in the water. Each time we tried it, she panicked. This wasn’t working too well but I assured her we could work on it a little each time and maybe by the end of summer, we’d have success.
I continued to swim my laps. As I rounded the deep end of the pool and started back, I noticed she was swimming and floating around! I swam back to her and exclaimed “You did it! You’re swimming and floating!!”
She said, ‘Well, yes. I can do it here-I’m in the shallow end. I just can’t do it in the deep end”.
(Gratitude to Sharon Thompson for sharing this experience)
How many times do we do the same thing with our faith? We’re fine going along our daily walk in our familiar & comfortable places. We say we follow Jesus and want to do God’s will for our lives. At times, we feel emptied out and pray for restoration, for joy, for a ‘soul lift’ if we’re in a lonely or bored phase. But really…are we keeping God in a nice and safe little box in our lives-somewhere comfortable we can refer to when needed?
Maybe His will for us is to not be such safe little robots but to step out of our comfort zones. I know, not a popular topic. Many of us are making through each day and hoping to have no surprises-just keep the daily grind going. I know there are seasons when we are supposed to do just that also. But have some of us been in that season too long, feel a tugging to step out of that comfy little zone to do something else-maybe something we don’t really want to do?
We are perking along our lives and keeping all the balls in the air, but the idea of ONE MORE THING or doing something else that stretches us? Well, no thanks. We’re fine doing what we’re doing and our plates are full.
Welcome to the shallow end of the pool…in the ‘safe’ and familiar.
Many of us say we want more of Him. It sounds good, it sounds like the appropriate type of thing a believer will say. However, I realized many of us don’t really mean it in the true sense. Not that we’re lying or being deceitful, perhaps just not deeply aware.
Many say ‘I can’t do xxxx’ and feel that is what God is tugging at me to do. I don’t WANT to do that, go there, etc. I don’t know how to do that particular ‘thing’. If He is calling you to do something/go somewhere, He’ll lead you and guide you through it. But YOU have to take a step out of the shallow end. Staying in the safe zone, floating around isn’t going to take you to new place, new experiences with Him if He is calling you into something else.
So last week I did a post about wanting MORE…we all want more something and my heart cry lately has been for more of God. A deeper walk, a deeper relationship. Let’s go for this deeper dive of Him!
Time to trust Him into the deep end.
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Uncomfortable? Usually at first
Impossible? Never!
When God tugs your heart, calls you to do something new or different or even uncomfortable, you WILL be equipped to do it. Check your trust and faith level—He is able to sustain and guide you!
I’m jumping…yes, unknown territroy and I don’t know where He’ll lead—but trust it is somewhere good. Will you join me? Let’s go to the deep end and see where He leads us!
Isaiah 43:18-19
Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.
Isaiah 43:2
When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you.
Psalm 18:16
He reached down from heaven and took me and drew me out of my great trials. He rescued me from deep waters.
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Great message! Well the deep end is scary. And that’s where I am now. Why did I think it was going to be so easy. O how I thought what a wonderful journey Lord sending me back to a familiar place. Where I can be safe and work out my years of employment smoothly. I know now he has a plan for taking me back to a familiar job. I think I know what he wants me to do? Well I said to Lord why me? I can’t take it on. I’m not seasoned enough. And I’m a little afraid! What if it makes me unpopular with those who don’t know me. I’m the new girl to them. They don’t love me like my old friends do. I was trying to put the thought in the back of my mind. Then I open this blog. And am reminded again of taking the plunge. Ok full faith he’ll keep me afloat!
Sorry for such a long comment. Not even sure if this is the way to respond to a blog?
It just struck a cord!
This is absolutely a great way to respond to this blog. Thank you so much for sharing your comments–I love knowing if the words impact anyone and this makes it all worth it. Thanks Colleen!