Gospel-based, grace-guided coping skills are a must for living faithfully in today’s world.
I recently heard someone use this illustration about whitewater rafting – this is not my own (if you’re the author & demand credit, just email me & I’ll revise this to include your name – LOL).
Have you ever been on a whitewater rafting trip? Fun! Or maybe you thought, “Fear!”
Some people react to the rapids by hunkering down, holding on tight & tensing up. That’s only natural.
Most of the time on the river of life, there are whitewater rapids, rough places along the way. It’s not all smooth sailing.
What many of us don’t learn are other ways of riding life’s rapids. If all we’ve ever done, or all we’ve ever been taught, is to just “hold on tight” – we might find that we’re going through most of our days with tension, with a tight-grip and with no other response than to just ride-it-out-and-hope-for-the-best.
Listen, I’ve lived long enough to know that there’s a lot of whitewater out there. Best to “fear not” and learn to lean into it, to relax & ride better, trusting the Maker of Waters to guide me along.
Grace goes along… more gracefully. When we’re just tense, rigid, reactive, fearful and frustrated, we get worn out by the whitewater.
Let God guide you with grace. Release your tight grip on life with more prayer. Overcome fear with faith. Ride the rapids with more reading of the Scriptures. And go with the flow of the Holy Spirit!
June 29th, 2010 at 11:22 am
One of my favorites! Beautiful reminder of life’s rapids and life with faith and God! Thank you!