Drowning

Jonah 2:3-5

“For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds wrapped about my head”

The story of Jonah being swallowed by the big fish, in the Bible, is a well known one. When in the depths of the fish’s belly, Jonah uttered many words, speaking of being ‘cast’ into the deep. Of floods surrounding him. Of waves and billows passing over him. Water closing in and weeds wrapped around his head as if he was going to drown.

There have been many times in our situation when we have like Jonah, drowning in the waves of pain and suffering, almost suffocating at times. I remember as child going swimming with a group of friends. As I stood on the side of the pool one dear friend decided to push me in backwards. I can still remember today that horrible feeling of going deep into the freezing cold water of the outdoor pool. I didn’t like it one bit. I remember gasping for my breath and not knowing what would happen.

There are many experiences and situations that happen to us in life that take us deeper than we expected to go. Perhaps we feel like we’re drowning from sheer pressure of the circumstance, perhaps we have that sinking feeling that we will not survive the ordeal.

Feelings such as fear, worry, hopelessness, anxiety, regret, and facing the future may be some of the emotions that overwhelm us and give us that drowning feeling. But take heart for we can be confident that in spite of how we feel at times, God is so much bigger than all of these things. If we look through Scripture we see many examples of how the Lord’s hand is mighty to save in the most dire of situations and how His arm is never too short that it cannot deliver. Take time to read Isaiah 59:1 and Zephaniah 3:17.

God alone is able to help us out of our despair and feelings of going under and He also works in and through His body, the Church, to help us to help rescue one another. There are times in our lives when God looks for us to be in that rescue mission. He may direct us to make the phone call when someone is struggling or to send a message, pay a visit, to pray, to invite that person for a coffee and a chat. Sometimes it’s the simple yet often overlooked things that may help another from “drowning”.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” NKJV

The Bible also exhorts us to “cast all of our care upon Him because He care for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

There is a much quoted phrase that says ‘Just because I carry it well, doesn’t mean it’s not heavy’. We all have burdens at times, some much heavier than others, and its true - there are many people who appear to carry their burdens well. But we must never be so caught up with our own lives that we become unaware of others who may be drowning in deep despair.

We must all pray for the discernment and courage to say something when we feel someone may be struggling. We can all put on a facade. Those who seem to be doing so well in the midst of suffering can also hide well behind masks. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/the-mask

For us in our personal situation, the drowning feelings haven’t gone. But when they do come, we are able to remind ourselves of how God has lifted us up out of those emotions time and again. He has allowed the waves to completely overcome us. The more we look to God in the midst of those “drowning times” the more we find hope and a new perspective.

Prayer - Father, we thank You that we are all made in Your image and that means we all have immense worth. When we see need around us, help us to have the discernment to know how to minister to that need. Give us wisdom on how to reach people we know personally who may be “drowning” in their problems. Amen.