Forced under water
I learnt how to swim as an adult. When we were young sadly a family mishap put our parents off the whole prospect of any of their children learning how to swim as youngsters.
This unaddressed and uncorrected fear followed me in to adult hood. It’s strange how things can be imprinted in to our minds and affect us in a way that can limit us. Mind truly works over matter. After all, so many other children were still learning how to swim.
One day, out of the blue, I decided I really wanted to be able to swim. Not only is it a wonderful form of exercise but there is something very soothing and refreshing about being in water. Overcoming my misconceptions was the first step but the second and most important step was actually getting in to the water and doing something. Once I put my mind to it I actually learnt to swim and gained confidence in the water very quickly.
Many times we just have to get up and go for things – removing the limitations and barriers our mind has set up. Sometimes we have to go for them aggressively.
My sister was keen to learn how to swim as well. We went away for a weekend and spent a lovely time in a hotel that had a spa and pool. While we were in the pool as she was shaking and trembling, barely getting her feet wet, I tried to get her to put her head under the water to get her to conquer that initial fear. After I had swam around a bit and thoroughly showed off and after what seemed like hours of trying to coerce her into submerging herself for a few seconds, in the safest way I knew how, I pushed her head under the water to her utmost dismay. We were standing in the shallow end of the pool and the water was barely up to our waists! Of course she didn’t like it at the time, it was scary, uncomfortable and unpleasant but months later she told me how that forceful intervention and uncomfortable experience had challenged her in to getting swimming lessons. She was so determined to prove she could do it that she practiced so hard she ended up being able to swim at the deep end of the pool way before I who had challenged her got the confidence to venture in to deep waters.
Challenges and uncomfortable times serve to strengthen us. We may be pushed under water when we are procrastinating or dancing around a new and greater level in life. There may be something we need to do, someone we need to help, somewhere we need to go but fear and procrastination are stopping us from achieving new things or from moving forward, sometimes it could be due to the fear of having to go through temporary discomfort that stops us from reaching new heights; Without challenge many people do not act, they don’t get up and they don’t better themselves or their lives. Many times God is letting us get trained for the next level and that distress, like a tough examination, is preparation for the task we have ahead of us. So much unlocked potential follows many to the grave simply because they were never forced under the water. 2 Corinthians 4:17New King James Version (NKJV) says ‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’
What’s forcefully pushing your head under the water? Take up the challenge to better yourself and
Be encouraged
Sisbee.
xxx
1 Comment