Caught in the Current

Change is difficult. I can be a creature of habit - living in the status quo and feeling perfectly content with that. However, sometimes, remaining in the same place for too long can be like water that's gone stagnant.

Stagnant: 1. Still 2. Inactive 3. Having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence.

In other words, sometimes, I stinketh! (Lol!)

Jesus is the Living Water - and If I don't have a current or constant flow of His Word, prayer, and communion with Him and the body of Christ (the church), if I'm not spending time with Him every day and throughout my days, I too become stagnant and stinky. I can feel dried out and withered - like a dry, and cracked, good for nothing, old sponge.

I need - I want the constant flow of Living Water moving through me...

Sometimes the currents of this Water change course or direction.

Sometimes it can flow along calm and peaceful and unbeknownst to me, there is a giant waterfall around the bend- when I see this waterfall, or when the waters get choppy, I can feel scared. Fearful of the waves overpowering me.

I can fight against the current - needlessly and quickly tire myself out -extracting every ounce of physical, mental, and even spiritual energy within me - and all for nought. It's futile. The current is too strong. The current will have His way, and His will will be done. (Just ask Jonah from the Bible! lol!)

What I need to remember about this fierce current, is that the Creator of the current is with me! I am not alone. The Creator, Elohim, He is good. He is faithful. He has a plan and a purpose for my life... He tells me that I can do all things through Him. Even freefall through a waterfall, or tread the waters of the deep - There is always a reason and a purpose for these scary conditions, for without them, I might never experience the beauty of what comes after...

OR ...

I can choose to "go with the flow" - floating with buoyancy - carefree merriment - joyous exuberance! Submersing myself completely in the waters of my LORD and allowing those waters to move me without constraint.

...the choice is mine.

I want to be encompassed and surrounded by the Living Water of God, as He carries me effortlessly in the current of His will. Submersed in His Love, Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness.

... Like a sponge, I want to soak up all that water till I'm dripping wet - completely saturated in Him so that He can squeeze me out on whomever needs to get wet.

Spending time with Him in prayer and Bible study, regularly gathering together with brothers and sisters in Christ enables this current to move freely within me.

When prayer and Bible study are no longer my priority - when other things like social media, or my growing "to do" list, or my hobbies and interests take precedence in my heart - when anything other than loving Jesus first and foremost, and loving others more than myself is a close second in my heart... when these other things grab my attention and demand first place in my heart - I then lose that constant flow of Living Water. If I'm not careful, I can find myself like that old, dry, cracked, and stinky sponge; useless.

There have been many times that I have fallen into that state of being - which can be followed by despair, depression, feelings of worthlessness, unimportance, insignificance, and purposelessness... such lies can consume me if left unattended.

You see all that little sponge needs is a good washing and maybe some time spent in high heat for sanitizing purposes- gotta get the stink out! This high heat never "feels" good in the moment, however, there are always consequences for our behaviors, and sometimes, the heat is necessary to remove the toxins within us so that we can once again be submersed in the Living Waters of God's Presence.

The longer we stay there in God's Presence, the more pliable and bendable we become - allowing us to once again, go with the flow - caught in the current of His love.