The Deep End

Often times I compare my spiritual relationship with God to the time when I was a child and began swimming in the deep end of the pool.

When we are born, it takes us forever to learn how to walk.  Then we somehow navigate through life with the miracle of balancing this huge amount of weight on two tiny little feet.  If you think about it, walking itself is a miracle all by itself.  

Then I ventured into swimming.  I have always had the safety and security of dry land.  I would wade into the pool, and still feel the comfortable, reassuring ground beneath my feet.  This is like when I was first introduced to the things of the spirit.  This is similar to when I first start exploring faith. If God let me down, I could always fall back on the safety of dry ground.

I began watching the big kids having so much fun doing what looks seemingly impossible.  I would see them diving off the diving board, and doing all sorts of cool maneuvers into the deep end of the pool.  The part of the pool that is roped off.  A person can only navigate that end of the pool, if they can swim.

I wanted to go to the deep end ever since I could see it.  I would cheat. I would hold on to the edge of the pool and duck my head underneath the rope to at least be in the area of the deep.  However, I couldn't swim.  I couldn’t navigate in the deep end and I wanted to so badly.  

I would let go of the edge to see if I would sink, and very quickly grab the edge if I became afraid.  This is similar to 'trying out' God and then falling back on what I carnally trusted.

Over time, I finally made it to the deep end.   Now it is the only place to be.

In this past year, I have learned to trust God even more.  I am learning that He truly is my provider.  I am learning more and more that His word is better than leaning to my own understanding.  I am learning that I don’t have to hold on to those things that hold me back from what He has for me.

God is asking every one of us to let go of the edge of the pool and swim in the deep things of HIM.


Come on in. The water is fine.