sink

"You can do it, Jolynne!" my son encouraged his little sister.

"Trust me," I urged. "The water will hold you up, but only if you stop fighting it."

Learning to float can be a frightening experience. Jolynne could never be sure that the water would uphold her until she became willing to trust and believe. I knew her fear would give way to joy as soon as she experienced the truth for herself. Back floating is easy for those who have learned to rest but utter foolishness to anyone who relies on their own efforts to keep them afloat.

"Trust God," we urge. "He will uphold you, no matter how deep your troubles may be!"

The world says we must "sink or swim", but the gospel offers a better option. When we depend on ourselves, we always miss the joy of resting in Jesus. The Christian life is not about doing things to gain God's favor and protection; it's about trusting the gracious work of the cross. If you are in Christ Jesus, you can be assured, in the midst of you trials, that God is forever at peace with you and on your side. Jesus can be trusted to uphold your righteousness, but you will continue to struggle and sink into despair until you forsake your own self-efforts and trust Him with your very life.

"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." (John 7:17)

You have heard the truth that Jesus is your only hope, but have you believed? Obedience to the truth is the only thing that proves God's ways are true ways. If you are unsure whether God's grace is sufficient, it is not from a lack of information, but a lack of obedience. How do you obey the truth that declares you are saved, not through what you do, but by what Jesus has done?

Jesus says the way to know whether His teaching is true is to be willing to obey Him. To obey His truth, we must stop struggling and accept the free gift of His righteousness with genuine faith in the truth. You can trust Him. God will uphold you. Dive in!--trust and believe. Joy will replace fear and hope will overpower regret as you discover for yourself the peace reserved for those "who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation" (1 Peter 1:5).

"For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.'" (Jeremiah 39:18)