Caught in a rip tide

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of an emotional challenge that seems to have come out of nowhere? I found myself there this week. Sometimes it takes the form of life challenges that overwhelm us suddenly, a change in job, an unplanned move, or a health concern. The ones I am talking about though are something that has no rationale reason. This past week I had felt agitated but couldn’t put my finger on why. Life is good, nothing seemed to be challenging at the moment but I just couldn’t shake the irritation I kept feeling. When Sunday came I didn’t even want to go to church though gratefully God gave me the wisdom to go anyway. WOW! Did I need to be there! I love to sing worship songs to God but as I sang something still felt off. In desperation I sat down and just talked with God. I shared my emotions with Him and asked Him to reveal what was going on. I even told Him that I know I have so much to be grateful for but I don’t feel like it right now. As I sat there determined to get to the bottom of this I felt Him speak to my heart and say “You are caught in a rip tide.” I had heard of rip tides before but didn’t know much about them. He began to ask me to start by speaking the truth; that I am His daughter, I have been saved by grace and mercy etc. As I spoke it was like a sudden release came over me and my heart lightened. He then totally overwhelmed me with the sermon as it confirmed so much of what I have been writing in my new book. When I got home I searched up rip tides. A rip tide is a narrow, powerful current of water running perpendicular to the beach, out into the ocean. Rip tides are terrifying because they catch you off guard: One minute you're bobbing along peacefully in the surf, the next you're being dragged out to sea at a rapid rate. Unlike violent, crashing waves, you probably won't notice a rip current until you're right in the middle of it. Ninety percent of all rescue attempts on beaches are due to rip tides. A swimmer’s normal reaction is to try and swim to shore but these tides are so strong that you can’t reach shore. Struggling exhausts you and can drown a person quickly. I was in awe because that is exactly how I had felt. It didn’t seem to matter what I did I couldn’t break free. The best way to break free of a rip tide is to first be still, then try to swim parallel to the beach. It’s possible to break the grip of the tide this way. It’s also incredibly vital to yell for help. Unbeknownst to me that is exactly what I did. I sat before God and went still, then I acted as He directed and He broke me from the current. I believe that satan will often try to overwhelm us with emotion. The sneak attack is his favorite tactic. I felt a certain way but by being still before God I was able to start calling for help. He revealed what was going on and as I spoke the truth over my life the power of the enemy’s attack was broken. We need to learn how to separate how we feel from what God’s word says is truth. Emotions can be deceiving and can drive us to make mistakes and react rashly. If we stop and seek Him He is faithful to give us all that we need. Just wanted to share this in case anyone else feels caught in a current and not sure how to get out. May He be your strength just like He was mine!