I need one of these:

Not for a room.  But for me.

I told my husband the other day that I felt like I was drowning and I wasn’t anywhere near water.  That’s just how my life was feeling.  I was completely maxed out.

Being short-staffed at work.  The usual responsibilities at home.  New responsibilities in others parts of my life.  So, not necessarily bad stuff.  Most of it was good stuff.  But just a lot of…stuff.

I was reminded of Peter when he felt like he was drowning too except his experience was a bit more literal.  But I still think it’s something we can relate to.

He walked out on the water with Jesus but the scripture says when he SAW the wind, he was afraid.  It doesn’t say that the wind actually did anything to him.  Yes, the wind was there…it was all around but he was still standing.  He was still walking on water.

Peter had perceived that the wind had the power to knock him over and the waves would overtake him so his heart went there and his body followed.  He started to sink.

And that’s what I found myself doing.  I looked at everything that was required of me and I found myself in moments of panic.  But the reality was that I was still standing too.  I may have felt like I was going to drown but I wasn’t.  

In the Psalms, David calls the Lord – “the lifter of my head”.  I always thought of that in the sense that I should walk with my head held high and I think that still applies.  But it took on a new meaning for me in the midst of my own potential sinking.  How do you prevent someone from drowning?  You just lift their head above water.

“Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”  After the disciples made that declaration, the next verse simply says, “They arrived on the other side of the sea…”.  (Mark 5:1a)  

Overwhelmed by the storm?  If I’m honest, yes.  Overtaken by the storm?  Not on His watch.  Overcomer of the storm?  Absolutely. ~Anu