Our Lifeguard.

One. 

All it takes is one.

Hey Hil, that's how your last post started. Yes, I know! 

One thing could change everything. Your outlook, your attitude, your entire life. 

What if that one thing is detrimental to our daily lives? What if we become so focused on this one thing that we become someone we don't even recognize?

A marriage. A job. A television show. A relationship. Pornography. Sex. A relationship outside of your marriage or current relationship. Drugs. Bitterness. Negative thoughts. Laziness. Unforgiveness. Hate. Lying. Stealing. Cheating. Indulgence.

We take one little step into the waters and suddenly it's all we ponder on, all that we can do in our daily life, all that consumes our minds. On one end, we're sinking in the waters, knowing that where our focus is and what we're doing stands completely contrary to the life God wants us to lead, yet on the other hand, the devil has us believing we're swimming in a pristine lake of calmness and goodness, supplying us with a raft and cool drink so we'll stay awhile. 

We take up the offer. Throw down our towel on the shore, lay on it for awhile, then move over to the raft to cool off. It's pretty cozy here, so might as well stay for just one more drink. 

That's where the problem begins. We say just one more, yet slowly we become entangled with it and suddenly we're in the deep and we don't know how to get back to shore. We lose hope and decide that we might as well stay there.

We've all been there, haven't we? We've all experienced different struggles in our lives, things that have become idols in our lives without us sometimes even realizing it. Some of us do realize it, but don' t know how to get away from it. We feel lost, unworthy, and unlovable.

The thing is, even when we fall, even when we've become so focused on these things that we don't even realize we're in over our heads, that the raft actually deflated and suddenly the water is churning, the wind against you, pushing you farther out away from the shore.. even then, the Lord is still with you. 

He will not allow you to drown. He will not leave you to be food for the fish or the whales. Remember when Jesus walked on water? In Matthew 14:28, Peter says to Jesus, "Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water." Peter started walking on the water, but became afraid after feeling the wind blowing against him, and he started to sink. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus response.. "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" Then they got into the boat and the wind ceased. 

You see, he doesn't provide us with a raft that's going to deflate. Our lifeguard has the floats, the lifejackets, and the strong, hefty boat. He can make us walk on water. He has everything we need to get us safely back to shore. 

Sometimes it gets to the point that we feel as if we're drowning in whatever is coming against us before we will take His hand. It requires us to lay down ourselves and surrender it all to Jesus, and I know, it's extremely hard. It requires vulnerability, it takes admitting we were in the wrong. It requires grace, to ourselves and to others. It requires change, and change is never all that easy, but our idols must fall. 

You might be scared, you might not know what life will look like without that thing taking up so much of your life, but don't let that stop you.  Sure you might have to relearn how to live your daily life. That's fine. You can do it. Take the first step. Jesus is there to take your hand when you trust Him, just as He did for Peter. It'll feel as if the wind is against you at first, but the winds will cease. 

You'll realize that the one thing that consumed your life becomes less of an idol, maybe overnight, maybe it takes days, or months, possibly even years. The waters become calmer, and you feel as if you jumped into the most refreshing pond. One of grace, joy, peace, and love. One that promises everlasting life. One that He wants us to swim in, to throw our anchor in, and jump in with our friends.

All the while, He's our lifeguard, keeping watch over us, never leaving, never forsaking, always there to rescue us when we go too far in the deep end and start to lose our strength to swim back. Nothing will ever be too strong for Him, too much for Him, too this or too that for Him. He's got our backs, and He isn't going anywhere.

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