Refuse to Sink

Posted On May 1, 2022

“Save me, O my God. The floods have risen.
Deeper and deeper I sink in the mire; the waters rise around me.” 

Psalm 69:1-2 TLB

Have you ever felt the way David did when he wrote these words? I think we all have at one time or another. Surrounded by floods of trials, troubles, or temptations — or maybe all of the above — we find ourselves sinking deeper and deeper into despair. But there comes a time when we have to decide if we are going to keep sinking or if we are going to fight…

Be on Guard

“Every word of God is true. He guards those who come to him for safety.”

Proverbs 30:5 NCV

I have often felt the waters rising around me, and there have been many times I gave in to the hopelessness of it. But there came a point when I finally decided NO MORE! I refused to sink any further. I made a choice, and I’ve been fighting ever since. If this describes your journey, too, take heart. God will help us stay afloat.

This week I have collected several readings that have spoken to me personally about perseverance. And at the end of this post I’ve included an original piece I wrote about strength. I hope they bless you and help you “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12 NIV).

“If you’ve made the decision to seek an intimate relationship with God and obey Him no matter what, you will undoubtedly experience seasons of difficulty and uncertainty. Your walk with God is a journey of faith, and there will be situations when your trust in Him will be tested.

“What will you cling to when a deluge of trouble rains on your life and everything you know to be true seems to be swept away by intense winds of adversity? What will you hold on to when the waves of doubt threaten to crash down on you? . . . When trouble strikes like a tidal wave, God’s Word can be an anchor of strength, guidance, and comfort to keep you steady.”

~Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

The first lifesaving aid God gives us is His Word. It’s like a safety manual that prepares us for crises we may have to face. In it we learn that we aren’t the only ones who have been through trials. In fact, as followers of Christ we should expect it (1 Peter 4:12). God’s Word also gives us the wisdom and strength we need to fight against discouragement when the trials come.

Often I read David’s words in the Psalms where he describes being attacked or surrounded by enemies and I think I can’t relate. But the truth is I can. We all can. Because we are also under attack. Satan and his demons constantly attack our mental state, trying to make us give up. That’s why it’s so important that we don’t!

“One of Satan’s primary weapons against the believer is discouragement. . . . He seeks to make us feel defeated because if he can make us give up, he will have neutralized a potential vessel of Christ’s glory. . . .

“However, understand that all the Enemy has are smoke and mirrors. God’s love for you is unconditional and eternal, based on what Jesus did for you on the cross. . . . Your Enemy is a defeated foe, and he can only try to undermine your confidence. But you don’t have to let him.”

~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

Christ has already defeated Satan, which means so have we. We just have to choose to believe it. The devil tries to make us believe otherwise, but he is a liar. We must be on guard against his lies or we will be tempted to give in and sink further down into discouragement and despair. The way to shut him up is to defeat his lies with God’s truth . . . truth spelled out in His Word.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Stand Firm in the Faith

“God will show his mercy forever and ever to those who worship and serve him.”

Luke 1:50 NCV

I want to encourage you with something before we go any further: It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to feel crushed and weary. It’s okay to cry out for deliverance from the suffering. Even Jesus prayed for mercy when His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow (Matthew 26:38-39). And even He needed someone else to carry His cross for Him for a while (Luke 23:26). God never intended for us to be in this fight alone. So take heart. If you feel weak, it’s all right. For when you are weak, then you are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

“God’s delight is received upon surrender, not awarded upon conquest. The first step to joy is a plea for help, an acknowledgment of moral destitution, an admission of inward paucity. Those who taste God’s presence have declared spiritual bankruptcy and are aware of their spiritual crisis. . . . Their pockets are empty. Their options are gone. They have long since stopped demanding justice; they are pleading for mercy.”

~Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

Often it’s when we’ve reached the end of our rope that we find God’s arms waiting to scoop us up. He may not necessarily lift us up out of the deep waters, but He will hold on to us so we don’t sink. He will fight for us so we can rest. And He will prepare us for the challenges that still await us. But like a drowning victim being rescued by a lifeguard, we’ve got to make sure we aren’t trying to work against Him. We’ve got to relax into His arms and let Him hold us close. Jesus invites us to find rest in Him (Matthew 11:28). When we do, we can cease our striving. He’s got this.

“Through seeking Jesus and resting in Him, you discover that God is actively conforming you to His will and likeness as you listen to Him (Philippians 4:13). He sharpens your talents, purifies your mind, and empowers you for service to His kingdom. Therefore, stop striving and abide. God is responsible for making your life a powerful vessel of His grace. Your job is to let him.”

~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

God has work for us to do, and He will make sure we are able to do it. But we’ve got to stop our own striving and abide in Christ. When I looked it up, I found that one of the synonyms for abide is persevere. Persevere in Christ. Seek Him above all else. Learn to hear His voice and follow His ways. Make your faith journey your number one priority. This is easier in theory than in practice, but it’s vital. We’ve got to choose to persevere in Christ every day.

“Friend, disappointments are inevitable, but discouragement is a choice — because you’ve already been promised the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). So trust God, your ever-present help, strength, and victorious Deliverer — no matter how things look. Jesus has never let you down and never will.”

~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

We will always have deep waters threatening to overtake us, and sometimes we will lose our will to fight. Sometimes we will make mistakes. Sometimes we will give in to guilt or despair. But that’s no excuse to give up trying. God doesn’t want or expect perfection. He doesn’t require us to be able to handle everything on our own. He will give us the strength we need to fight. What He does want from us is this: Stand firm in the faith. Persevere in Christ. Never, ever give up.

“I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13 NCV

Be Courageous

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”

Colossians 1:28-29 NIV

God has a plan to reach His lost children, and He calls us to help Him do it. This is important work, so we can’t let doubts or fears keep us from doing it. But let’s face it: it’s a little scary. We feel like we’re barely keeping our own heads above water and now we’re supposed to help others stay afloat, too? Help!

Actually, I think “Help!” is exactly the response God wants from us. This job is too big for us to handle on our own. That’s why it’s essential that we stay connected to Him to receive His wisdom and power. But we are expected to do our part. We must prepare, we must trust God for help, but at some point we must find the courage to move. Others are counting on us.

“Do you realize that the Lord’s vision for you has implications that impact His kingdom both on earth and in heaven? God’s will for your life has ramifications not only for you as an individual but also for others — the scope of which you cannot possibly fathom because they continue on into eternity. . . .

“That is why it is always so important that you cling to Jesus regardless of the trials that arise, and yield yourself to His will even when it is difficult. Your life matters — to God and to those who will find Him and grow in Him through you.”

~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

God wants us to help Him with His work. He wants us to be a team. But He doesn’t force us to do anything. That’s why he waits for us to move before He gives us what we need. If we want to experience the amazing ways He will work in our lives and in the lives of those He calls us to help, we’ve got to be willing to get to work. Once we do, we may see miracles happen!

“Paul dreamed of the day each person would be safe in Christ. . . . How did he do it? What was his source of strength? He worked with all the energy he so powerfully works in me. As Paul worked, so did God. . . . And as you work, so does the Father.”

~Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

Doing God’s work takes courage because we will face opposition, not just from the world, but also from the enemy. It seems like the more we focus on God’s Kingdom, the more Satan tries to distract us and discourage us. So we’ve got to be strong and brave and willing to persevere. It’s hard when we feel like we’re struggling in vain, but that’s why we need faith. God has a plan, even if we don’t understand it. Even when we can’t see anything happening, we’ve got to trust that His plan is unfolding in ways we can’t see. That’s why we can’t give up fighting to keep our faith strong.

“Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9 NIV

Before we close, I have one more reading for you. The other night I couldn’t sleep. I was battling the same discouragement I’ve been fighting for years. Several sorrows and worries, some old and some new, were converging in my mind, robbing me of my peace. Once again, I faced a choice: I could give in or I could fight. I chose to fight. The piece I wrote, which I’ve shared below, is the result.

Actually, it kind of wrote itself. In bed in the middle of the night, I reached in the dark for my phone, opened the notes app, and began typing furiously. I had prayed for help, and it’s as though the Holy Spirit answered me with this. I called it “Strength” because I realized that to access the strength of God, we’ve first got to find the strength within ourselves to persevere in faith. The minute I made the decision not to give in, my mind was flooded with words of inspiration. My prayer is that sharing it may bless you, too, and give you the courage to press on when you feel like giving up.

Be Strong

~Strength~

She sat staring at the still water.  It was perfectly calm, like glass. The morning sun reflected off of it like fire burning her soul. She wanted to quit, to let that cold, still water swallow her up, to slide into it, under it, disappear…But the sun blinded her, daring her to keep fighting. It rebuked her. “Be strong,” it seemed to say.

The morning was cold, like her heart. She was empty. She had no light left inside her.  She had no will to go on with this fight. Still the sun quietly opposed her despair. “Be strong.”

She knew she didn’t have to. She knew she could give in to the darkness. No one would blame her for slipping away, for giving up. No one would care. She felt alone. The persistent sunlight warmed her skin, embracing her. “Be strong,” it whispered.

How could she? She couldn’t move, couldn’t think, couldn’t feel. How could she go on fighting? She was so tired. Her empty heart ached. She wanted to be free of this pain. The sun shone even brighter, reflecting off of the water into her eyes. “Be strong!” it shouted at her.

“I CAN’T!” she wanted to scream. But she didn’t. Instead, she slowly lifted her head toward the sky and prayed for strength. She didn’t want to. She wanted to quit, to let that cold, still water swallow her up, to slide into it, under it, disappear…but she didn’t.  She rose from the cold ground and took one last look at the still water before she turned and walked away. She felt the sun warming her back as she returned to the fight.

If the sun could find the will to keep shining day after day, so could she.

This week’s Scripture passages remind us to be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, and be strong. God will give us the strength we need to keep fighting the good fight of the faith, but we must choose to persevere in Christ. When waves of fear, doubt, or despair threaten to sweep over us, we cannot give in. We must be brave. We must never give up. We must refuse to sink!

May God bless you, my friends.

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT

References:

• Lucado, Max. Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. J. Countryman, 2000.
• Stanley, Charles F. 30 Life Principles Study Guide: A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
• Stanley, Charles F. God’s Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions. Thomas Nelson, 2020.

Images:

• Tidal Wave featured image by Schäferle from Pixabay (edited)
• Stormy Sea image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
• Ocean image by Public Co from Pixabay
• Sun over Ocean image by Pexels from Pixabay
• Sun over Still Water image by Pexels from Pixabay
• Sailboat image by jplenio from Pixabay