Author Darlene J. Conard

This certainly isn’t the expectation I had, I thought stewing over unfortunate attempts to do the moral thing. Sitting in the silence of darkness I repeatedly scolded myself with, “Why can’t I do anything right? When will I learn to stay behind the line instead of swiftly rushing in to be a good Samaritan?” It’s one of those moments where you have stepped foot in the valley of decision not knowing when it will expire. It’s like an unpleasant song repeatedly playing in your head.

Interrupting my sulking I saw in my thoughts Peter stepping out of the boat. Did the other disciples discourage him? Fear ceased for them the moment they saw a figure walking on the raging sea towards them. Fear conceives all sorts of ideas. (Matthew 14:22-33)

Peter had more guts than I ever would! I’ll never forget almost drowning on several accounts. It was horrifying! Walking on the riverbed’s solidity then suddenly the next step is an unexpected depth: it was more than enough to discourage me from learning to swim.

Several years ago, before the death of one of my close friends, Becky Bailey sent me a message titled, Healing River Encounter by Josh Mills. The words pulled me into a memory. At the beginning of my conversion, I struggled terribly. Nothing made sense. I felt things that I didn’t before. Dreams and visions became a part of what is now normal for me. God’s voice continually called to me to draw closer to Him.

Ezekiel’s encounter was different than Peter’s. He was instructed by an angel to walk in the water.  Each thousand cubits took him into depths until he could go no further unless he swam across. That water would heal accept the swampy areas. (Ezekiel 47:1-12)

Our hardest places in life offer an opportunity to reach places in the spiritual realm beyond our intellect. A yearning for His holy presence will replace anything in this world.

I leave you with this: don’t waste such a moment to step into a place of prayer, praise and thanksgiving in honoring Jesus.

“Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.” Psalm 42:7 KJV

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