I just heard of two friends who lost love ones recently. Bad news like these can send someone feeling confused or even numb. I can’t imagine what you are going through right now — trials, suffering, heartache, pain. But I can tell you that whatever it is, it’s not too big for God. His grace can cover it, and your heart can be made new. God gives refreshing to those who desire for it.
Honestly, I do feel like I am drowning from time to time. Do you? In those times when I felt like I was drowning, I thought God was off in a distant land. Later I realized that’s when He is most near.
Whoever you are, God is near you too.
Perhaps you heard of this story. I too heard it from someone else but let me relate it again. Some friends went swimming in a river. It was spring, and the glacier runoff had made the river pretty dangerous. Nonetheless one of the guys jumped in, got caught in the current, and was taken to the dangerous part of the rapids. One of his friends on the shore was a lifeguard, and all the other friends looked at him to do something. He just stood there, though, not moving, just staring at his friend. The others began to panic and yell at him and tell him to go save his friend! Still nothing. They looked out into the river and saw their friend struggling desperately.
However, to their dismay, in an instant the struggle stopped. The drowning friend could no longer fight and began to drown. When that happened, the lifeguard quickly jumped in and with a few swift strokes rescued the friend and brought him to shore. With the adrenaline wearing off, the group yelled at the lifeguard, “Why didn’t you jump in earlier? He could’ve died!” He calmly looked at them and said, “I had to wait until he fully gave up. Unless he stopped fighting, he would have dragged me under and drowned me with him. But the minute he gave up, I could save him.
Although Jesus Christ has already come to be our savior yet we still fall into the “waters” and feel like drowning. It could be a huge problem, feeling depressed, heartache and suffering. Just like the lifeguard, sometimes that’s what it’s like with Jesus. He just wants us to surrender, and when we do, He comes and gets us. The waves might be crashing overhead, but in that moment, when it looks like we might die, His grace scoops us up and brings us life. And because we finally give up, we know it was Him who did all the saving.
If you are going through some of form of struggle right now, ask your self, “Will I totally surrender to God?”
I don’t know where you are or where you’re coming from, but I know Jesus has a better plan for your life than you do. He is a better king of your life than you are. No one has caused me more hurt, shame, guilt, and pain than me. Jesus knows, and He rescues me. He can do the same for you.
The Bible is very clear. It says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” — Matthew 11:28-30
Relax; you don’t have to have it all figured out.
All you need to do is come to Him. If you’re thinking, I have nothing to give or nothing to offer Jesus right now, that’s exactly where He wants you. He just wants dependency; He just wants you.
You don’t have to clean yourself up before you come to Jesus. You are precious to him even when you were yet in your sins. Just as the scripture says, you be with Jesus, and behold! – He cleans you up.