“Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?” Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” (Mark 4: 35-40 The Message Bible)
Most of us, have had that feeling where you felt like you were just sinking, barely “keeping your head above water.” We have experienced that sensation in a variety of situations in life. And instead of looking at it as a faith-enhancing event or as an opportunity to see what faith in God can do, we find ourselves frustrated versus patient; floundering around in a depressed state, as opposed to faithfully determined to keep on until our change comes; trying to figure things out alone, as opposed to calling our help to fix things; referring to that Help which the Psalmist says, “comes from the Lord,” and the One of which we say, “…no other help I know.”
Here are a few examples of what we have experienced or shall experience, perhaps. You are keeping your head above water; barely coping financially; scarcely making it relationally; hardly pleased socially, only just hanging in their spiritually. These are situations where you are just hanging in there while in the meantime, it seems like we are overwhelmed with a plethora of predicaments, plenty of problems, and piles of displeasure. No one is exempt from such experiences.
When we are sinking and struggling in situations that steadily pose a threat to our peace of mind, we fight to keep from being submerged, struggle just keeping our head above water.
When we feel a sense of danger, and we are devoid of a solution to help ourselves, we are just keeping our head above water. Barely hanging on in the storms of life, trying our best, but it is so tough that we are on the brink of destruction, and we are tempted to do anything to remedy our situation, showing a degree of desperation. We are just keeping our head above water. The flesh gets us one way, whether we are young or old. The young have to deal with the temptations of the flesh that come in great waves, while graying old, folks like me, see the inevitable physical deterioration that comes insistently with time, accompanied by psychological surges, one after another, and we find ourselves just keeping our head above water.
If you have never experienced a time where you had to make it through life where you were just keeping your head above water, just wait a while, you will. And when it does, your faith will be tested, but hopefully in the end, your faith will be toughened if you look to your Help, rather than regretfully turning back to that unfaithful phase of life that you have overcome. Feeling like we are just keeping our head above water, It happens. So what do we do? How do we stay afloat? How do we keep from sinking?
First, remember that you my fellow believer, you are not sailing through life alone. Next, call on the Lord, saying, “Help me Jesus! Come to my rescue!” After you have been rescued and you are no longer fighting to keep your head above water, give thanks to the Lord for his divine intervention, followed by sharing your testimony. Understand that your testimony will benefit others, but remembering how the Lord came to your rescue, your faith will be reinforced for future times when you feel like you are just keeping your head above water. If you have a hard time getting the words out of your mouth to share your story, and to spread your personal testimony, perhaps you can borrow the familiar words of Andre Crouch that I have closed with today. Have a great time in worship today! I know you are on your way, in person if possible or virtually if not possible. You preachers receiving this, preach the word as you have been charged! Let the Lord have His way! Be blessed!
“I’ve had many tears and sorrows, I’ve had questions for tomorrow, there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong. But in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation, that my trials come to only make me strong. Through it all, through it all, I learned to trust in Jesus, I learned to trust in God.”
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King