TROUBLED WATERS

Sometimes life feels like we are standing in front of a lengthy line of problems that are each awaiting their turn to punch us in the face, eager to give us a black eye or a broken nose. I relate on a deep level to the guys who sit in the dunking booths at the state fair, except life’s challenges have a much higher accuracy level than the average fair goer, and instead of falling into a shallow pool, I am constantly falling into a raging ocean full of hungry sharks. Needless to say, life is hard, we have no shortage of problems, and yet, for me at least, my greatest enemy is my own mind.  

 I know that I am not alone in this struggle, and like me, many others are plagued by the afflictions of worry. It is easy to let our minds run rampant with fears of what could be, or to allow our thoughts to be weighed down by the burden of what is, and once we latch on to such thoughts, we enter a deadly spiral. How can we survive in a world full of problems if the greatest of them originate within our own minds? What are we supposed to do when we are being crushed beneath the crashing waves of our turbulent thoughts?   

As a Marine I was informed that I would be deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in January of 2023. Over the course of this deployment, I would be spending the majority of my time aboard the USS America, an amphibious assault ship capable of carrying a small force of Marines and helicopters throughout the pacific to mount assaults on Islands and beaches. As a part of this deployment I was informed that I would be required to complete a notorious training and qualification course known as the helo dunker.   

For those who don’t know, the helo dunker is a simulated helicopter cabin in which multiple Marines are strapped into seats and then flipped upside down and dunked into the water. Once in the water the Marine is required to calmly unstrap themselves from their seats, and exit the helicopter from one of several egress points. As someone who has had a deep fear of water for my whole life, this was not a course that I wanted to complete. However, due to the fact that I had signed a contract allowing the federal government to tell me what to do, I had no choice in the matter.   

On the day that I was scheduled to undergo the dreaded training I woke up hours before the sun had risen and along with two others I loaded into my sergeant’s car. In the hour-long drive to the training area, my sergeant did his best to encourage us, saying that we would have fun and that we shouldn’t be afraid. His encouragements did very little to assuage my fears however, and I spent the whole ride anxious for what lay ahead.   

Once there we were ushered into a classroom in which we were lectured for several hours on the various egress points of different types of helicopters, and on the safety gear that we would be issued. By this point I was starting to feel more confident about the course ahead, but all my confidence immediately vanished as we were shown a video in which the lone survivor of a helicopter crash recounted the near death experience he had as he tried to escape his quickly sinking aircraft. All my fear came flooding back in and I could barely pay attention to what he was saying. However, because I wanted to complete the training the first time and not have to remediate, I did my absolute best to take in all the information our instructors were trying to ingrain in our minds.  

Upon the completion of the classroom portion, we were instructed to drive to the pool in which we would be tested. Once I arrived at the pool, and saw the evil contraption known as the helo dunker I was almost completely consumed by fear. Even my companions, who had up to this point shown no signs of fear were visibly nervous. It was at this point that we were informed that we would undergo several different dunks that were increasingly difficult. We would start with oxygen, then have no oxygen, and the final dunk would be no oxygen, and we would be wearing blackout goggles to simulate the darkness of the ocean.   

Despite my fear, I volunteered to be a part of the first group because I wanted to get it over with. I can clearly remember the pounding of my heart as they strapped me into the seat and checked my gear. I tried my best to be calm, but the moment that cabin flipped and the water filled my nose I was filled with panic and forgot all of my training. A nearby instructor, seeing the fear in my eyes looked at me, gave me a thumbs up and pointed at the small oxygen bottle I had on my chest. His calm demeanor and reminder calmed me and I slowed down to remind myself of all the training I had received. In an instant I went from fearful to confident that I would be ok. Firstly, I was surrounded by instructors that would save me if something went wrong, I wasn’t in any danger, and secondly, I had been trained for this and had all the gear I needed to succeed. From that point forward the helo dunker wasn’t something to be afraid of, but an opportunity to grow in both confidence and ability.  

 I use this example because our Christian walks can be much the same. We hear all the time that the Lord will be with us in our times of need, but once we are in those times of need, upside down, and in the water, its hard to think of anything but the water in our nose and our need to escape. We panic and scramble to get out of our trials, yet it is our panic that will cause us to sink deeper and suck in more water. Much like my instructor, Christ is there to remind us that everything will be ok and to point us to our lifeline, Him.   

It is so easy to panic and to find reason to worry even when it is clear that we are in no danger, yet it is important to slow down and look to our savior and remember the instructions that He has given to us. He has provided us with everything we need to survive. Don’t worry, just look to Him. In Matthew 6:33-34 Christ says “But seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”   

I understand the feelings of panic and fear, and the desire to escape by any means possible, but by our own strength we will only make things worse and cause ourselves to drown more quickly. By turning our eyes to God, we will be given what we need to push onward, He is our lifeline, he is the oxygen that sustains us when we are in the water, and He is the lifeguard that stands ready to save us when we are drowning.   

Life is not guaranteed to be easy, in fact we are promised suffering and tribulation, but these are not something to worry about. When we are struggling, looking too hard at our trials will only cause more worry. So instead of looking at your trials, and worrying about what will result from them, look to God and you will be guaranteed that your suffering will result in good. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:10)  

 Your worry will only amount to unneeded suffering. There is hope for us in all situations, and it is that hope which we must cling on to. Your perseverance will lead to more riches than you could ever lose in any worldly trial. Keep an eternal view of life rather than allowing yourself to be weighed down by the perishable things of this world.    

If you are hurting because of the worries of life, then I encourage you to look to our savior. He is not distant from us, but He is always with us. He will remind you of the eternal goal to which you ought to aspire, and He will give you the things you need to persevere. Look to the Lord and not your suffering and you will not fall.