Just Keep Swimming

Last week was a trying week for me. My daughter was at the tail end of a cold, work was busy with so many different projects, the house needed a lot of cleaning (I am not sure why the house was extra dirty), and the laundry kept piling up no matter how many loads I washed. No matter what I did to try to get ahead of the game, I constantly fell behind. I wouldn't normally share these ramblings with people, but I figured maybe you had a week like this too in the recent past. Maybe we can help each other.

The hours in the day can sometimes seem short, and the hours you have to sleep even shorter. The projects, tasks, responsibilities, and/or chores appear insurmountable. Your hope for ever making it out of such a rut is diminishing. What do you do? What do you do when you can barely keep your head above water? What do you do when no matter how hard you try it's just not good enough? I have a saying in my life that comes from a very popular children's movie "Finding Nemo" – JUST KEEP SWIMMING. This motto came back to me while listening to the sermon at church this Sunday where the Pastor spoke on the same concept - running the race of life. Hebrews 12:1-3 (Looking back I suppose I needed to hear that message.)

"Just keep swimming" is a reminder to me that the only option is to keep moving forward. Keep your arms moving and your eyes fixed on the prize.

When I was learning to play tennis (I retired at the tender age of 16), my coach used to make us run a two-mile path two times a day. Needless to say I did not like that path because I wondered what long distance running had to do with anything - this is a tennis camp. What's running got to do with it? (I was young…naive.) When we used to run our coach told us we were not allowed to stop running…no matter what. Walking was not an option. No matter how slow we ran, we were required to make it look like running. I gained a principle from that experience in my life, and I wish to share them with you in hopes of helping you when times get tough.

You must keep swimming, running or whatever you are supposed to be doing. Now the operative word here is "supposed" because if you are doing something outside of the will of God for your life, there is no amount of running you can do that will help you cross that finish line. You will be like a dog chasing its tail…no results in sight. However, if you are running or swimming in your lane headed towards the finish line, you will be rewarded for your efforts.

When we ran for tennis it was very tiring and we hated every minute of it, but when we ran without ceasing over a period of weeks, we gained strength and confidence. We were in better shape because we ran, and we were eventually in better shape than anyone else we played in tournaments. We could outlast the opponent, and hardly break a sweat.

I guess my point is you have to keep going. Jesus didn't decide things were too hard when he was dying on a cross for us because the finish line, what he was fighting for, was greater than any pain He suffered.

When things look miserable, and hope is fading, just keep swimming. Eventually if you are on the right track, and with a little prayer and perseverance, the finish line will come. Remember if you stop on the track during the race, it will take longer to get to your final destination.

Leave a comment. Let me know how you handle the tough times? What scripture do you lean on when you need a helping hand?