Always ‘above water’

When I recently called a friend to see how she was doing regarding some challenging family issues, she said, “Well, I’m keeping my head above water.”

In thinking about what I could say that might be helpful, the following came to mind. Many years ago, when I was teaching swimming to young people, the very first skill we taught was how to float, so they would always feel unafraid and confident in calm but deep water. We also taught them how to tread water, so they could keep their head above water if they found themselves in turbulence or waves. Even though these skills seemed basic, they were important to young swimmers because they gave them the means to feel safe in the water right away and prevent the possibility of submersion. 

I shared this with my friend as a reminder to us both that, because we are in reality children of God, spiritual and complete, we all have what it takes to stay afloat, so to speak, no matter how deep or turbulent the waters of human existence seem to be. We have, in fact, the God-given ability not just to keep our head above water, but to meet life’s challenges with poise and dominion, and most important, with the certainty of healing.