The Back Float: Overwhelmed – Part 5
Constant struggling against the overwhelming waters may well be the biggest reason for not being able to cope with life.
When a child learns to swim, one of the first skills instructed is floating. Being able to float on the water is a singularly valuable tool for a swimmer to cope with a crisis. Too often, however, this skill is neglected… disposed of after learning strokes. I suspect the same is true for the overwhelmed Christian who neglects rest in his or her life.
The benefits of floating are numerous, and each carries a relevant faith lesson in dealing with feeling of drowning in our lives:
- Relaxed muscles use less oxygen. When a swimmer is in a perilous water situation, preserving oxygen is vital to survival. Relaxing—floating—minimizes the burn rate. Resting, in the form of healthy sleep, equips us to face each day’s challenges with a renewed physical energy.
- Floating minimizes panic. In the pool, floating forces the swimmer to slow down and enables him or her to think more rationally about the situation. In this state, developing a strategy for getting to safety is far more successful. Observing a Sabbath rest (Exodus 20:8) does much the same for us. When we take a day off our regular work, we acknowledge that God can equip us to meet those demands when we return to the labor. It is an expression of trust in Him; resting forces us to consciously choose trust instead of panic.
- Floating enables singular focus. To be safe, swimmers must be able to breathe. This, above all, is vital to survival. By floating on one’s back, the task of breathing is prioritized and made as accessible as possible. When dealing with being overwhelmed, we, too, must be singularly focused on God to get us through. By resting—physically and spiritually—we are better able to keep our priorities in line and persevere through the challenges we face.
A swimmer in deep waters is tempted to flail about… thrashing against the waves to stay above water, attract help, or get to safety. One might say it’s instinctive. But this instinct is often counter-productive: it burns too much energy, increases panic and makes breathing difficult. When you and I shift into overdrive to hurriedly meet the demands of our lives, we do the same.