Are You Snorkelling or Scuba Diving?

Trusting God in the deep

Going deep often involves risk and danger. The good news in Scripture is that deep waters represent not only trial, but also the call to embrace faith’s mystery, rather than the allure of simple answers.

Your ‘deep’ will likely be different than mine. Maybe yours is:

• Choosing to forgive, especially when the “I’m sorry” never comes.

• Saying a prayer while still doubting it will work.

• Getting out of bed when your loss says, “Stay in.”

• Holding hope for your person who refuses to change.

• Trying again when your mind says you can’t.

• Letting yourself experience joy despite what is happening.

What we experience in the deep never happens when we stay shallow.

A few years ago, my daughter and I had planned to join my husband and son on a scuba diving adventure while on vacation. Though the guys were pre-certified at home, we were assured we could get that done in a few hours while in Mexico. However, as we began filling out the release forms, we quickly learned that my heart failure and her history of seizures would disqualify us both from becoming scuba-certified.

So while the guys were going down deep to touch and witness sea life up close, the girls were stuck at the surface of the water, squinting and snorkelling. Although we were able to see some pretty cool sights, we learned that it was nothing compared to what they were able to experience. It was so much richer the deeper you got.

Still, that ‘deep’ came at a cost; they wore cumbersome oxygen tanks and regulators, and had to deal with their bodies’ adjustments to descending so far below sea level. They had to navigate unfamiliar vests, face masks, and weights. They had to rely on others to control their breathing and safety. Besides being a bigger financial investment, scuba diving demands trust and has a steeper learning curve than snorkelling. But because of what they had seen, the guys couldn’t wait to schedule their next dive.

So when life has you navigating deep waters, keep your eyes open. Sometimes, the miracle doesn’t look like a miracle while it’s happening. It might feel like an inconvenience or a detour, but you will see God there in ways you won’t at any other time.

God says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2 NLT). And experiencing His presence is worth all it takes (and costs) to step into your deep unknown.