Deeper Water - Part 5

Five years ago I had surgery on my right shoulder. Some of you probably remember that first night - yikes. After the surgery my Dr. told me that he ended up having to do a good bit more than originally thought and so my rehab was going to be at least 6 months before I could get back to my regular activities. I just couldn’t accept that the rehab had to be that long so I was determined to be the model patient and get back a lot sooner.

I didn’t realize it at the time but I actually found a secret weapon in my rehab process - water! I got back in the pool as soon as I could and, while I couldn’t swim anything like normal, I did what I could. In doing so, I found out that water provided the perfect amount of resistance to help accelerate the healing process and slowly build strength back into my shoulder. I cut my rehab time almost in half. My love affair with water grew even stronger… Ha.

Resistance in physical training builds endurance and strength- water, weights, pulleys and bands. They all provide different levels of resistance that help us make progress. However, resistance is not always a good thing. In our spiritual lives It can be a real impediment to making progress - like hitting a speed bump or even a wall.

Could your “deeper water” be the removal of some resistance that exists in your life that is keeping you from growing closer to God. It’s usually a particular sin that you struggle with or maybe an idol. Both of these can provide enough resistance to keep us from building intimacy with God. It takes some real soul searching and some brutal honesty to identity where this resistance is coming from.

1 Timothy 4:8  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Find the resistance and remove it and you will help open up the floodgates in your spiritual life. Overcoming a pet sin or idol is not an easy thing to do but it certainly can be done if we are willing. We have to confess it and learn to hate our sin before we can really move forward in overcoming it. Confession is a great place to start. Name these sins before God today.

Stay thirsty,

Big E