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Walk On Journal

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Rough Waters

Posted on Nov 24 2009

Isaiah 43:2-3
(New International Version)bethany prewett

For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

Have you ever experienced something in your life so drastic and impacting that you thought you would never be the same? Did it make you feel so hopeless and alone that you didn’t know who to turn to? These feelings could be caused by the death of a loved one, a health issue, problems with friends, or even losing your favorite stuffed animal.

For me, it happened my freshman year of high school. I went in for a regular doctor’s appointment and found out something that would change my whole freshman year. I had scoliosis, which means my spine is curved, and I would have to wear a back brace for the entire school year. Maybe it doesn’t seem like the end of the world, and it wasn’t, but it felt like it at the time. I was a 15-year-old girl going to a new school with a whole new group of people; it felt like my picture perfect world was crashing down on me. I threw fits about wearing it, worried about what people would think as they saw “back brace girl” walking down the halls. My mind went crazy and my self-confidence went down. However, I wore it for a year and no one cared. Now my back is fixed, and I learned a very important lesson. Only with the help of God was I able to get the courage to put that brace on every morning. At a time when I thought I couldn’t get through, God dissolved all of my fears. That’s what he does… because he’s God.

You will pass through rough waters and will experience the flames of the world, but the Lord God will not let you drown nor get burned. Everything you go through, he will be with you, protecting you. Our Lord does not place things in your life to beat you down, but does it to strengthen you so you realize the need for his hand in your life. My struggle came in the form of a simple back brace, but what have your struggles been? What waters are you passing through right now? Just remember, Jesus has his swimming suit on right next to you, wading in the waters with you.

By Bethany Prewett