Enjoying the Process
For months, my granddaughter Alyvia who is five years old, talked about passing her swim test so she could swim in the deep end at the YMCA pool where they are members.
I was so proud of how my daughter and her husband worked with Alyvia faithfully each week over the past several months to develop her swimming skills and bodily strength. I still remember when she was much younger not wanting to swim on her own at all. She would have such a defeated and negative attitude when her parents tried to encourage her get off the steps and let them hold her in the deeper water.
It was a process for her to build up her strength and ability and confidence. Then just last week, I heard that Alyvia passed her test with flying colors. She was so very excited and proud of herself for reaching her goal to swim in the deep end.
Have you ever considered how God is constantly leading us off the sideline, to see ourselves in a new way, embracing new aspects of the plans and purposes He has for us. Romans 12:2 says we are to “…be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all we do and think." Another translation says “…Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”
God wants you to learn how to “swim” in the deep end, by faith learning to do new things, think new thoughts, experience unfamiliar territory. He leads us one step at a time. It is a process. Another translation says His Word will allow us to be “transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].”
Allow God’s Word to inspire you to take on new habits, embrace by faith His promises, even when you don’t feel like it, or don’t think you can do this. Over time, you will develop the strength and ability to become capable and proficient in new abilities and activities that would of seemed impossible last week, last year or before you surrendered your life on over to Him.
Enjoy the swim, embrace the process, and have fun!
For His Kingdom,
Cindy Dennis
www.cindydennis.org
