Floating Along

My Mom loves to float. When ever she could be in our backyard pool without any kids splashing about, she’d lay on her back and float. As a kid, I never understood the appeal of such a boring activity. In fact, learning to float on my back was a scary task. How could I expect the water to hold me up? Things lighter than me sink to the bottom of the pool, how could I float on top? It is a step of faith to trust the water and your own buoyancy to keep you from sinking. Before I knew how to float on my back, I thought my Mom was magic.

As an adult, I discovered the joy of floating like Mom. The few times I found myself alone in a pool without splashing kids around, I’d float. It is extremely relaxing to allow the water to hold you up and move along with the gentle current. It is still a wonder to me that when I’m not laying on my back in the water, I must kick my legs or move my arms to stay afloat. It takes a lot of effort to keep from sinking to the bottom. However, when I roll over on my back and stop moving, I can float. There is a lot of physics and science behind this, but for me, it’s just about relaxing.

When it comes to faith, the same principle holds true. When we try to live by our own power, worrying, fretting, and planning our lives, we expend a lot of energy. We assume that we are the only one who can keep bad things from happening. But when we trust God and rest in his care, we can relax. We can find peace in him and float along.

When things are good, it is easy to float. It is more difficult to trust in times of tragedy, pain and loss. Worry and anxiety rob us of energy and time while we attempt to control things we cannot. Learning to trust in God and his faithfulness, gives us peace and we can rejoice in his faithfulness.

Lord, forgive me for fighting against your care and trying to control things I cannot. Help me trust you more as I rest in your love and faithfulness. Thank you for your continuous care and salvation.