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Toss fear out of the pool
Arms flailing and tears flying, my three-year-old daughter tried to get out of the swimming pool. We were in the shallow end, but she was frightened and frantic. And yet, I was holding her and she was in no danger. I tried explaining this to her, but she wouldn’t listen to me.
The fear overwhelmed her so much that she didn’t notice she was completely safe and protected. This struck me as a major spiritual lesson. How often do we get in a situation where fear takes over and we do not recognize our safety? The truth is, God is always holding us, protecting us, keeping us from harm. It is only fearful, frantic thoughts that make us feel we are perhaps separate from God and in danger.
A year later, while my daughter was in swimming lessons, she refused to put her face under water. Nothing I could say would convince her to try, and I became frustrated.
That night I prayed about the situation. A Bible passage was very helpful. It reads, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7). I knew God was not giving my daughter fearful thoughts, but rather calmness and confidence. In fact, her mind could not be touched by fear.
The next day at swimming lessons, I encouraged her to try going under water again. She still refused, so I decided to step out of the pool and leave her alone in the pool with the other children and instructor. Then, I reaffirmed the prayer from the night before, claiming that God never sends a fearful thought. Within minutes, my daughter was getting her face wet, going underwater and enjoying it!
Later, I asked her what had changed. She said she had realized there was nothing to be afraid of.
As a parent, I have learned I can have patience with my daughter in activities like swimming, and support her in making her own demonstration of dominion and confidence. She is a child of God, so fear is no part of her and has no lasting power. I do not have to fret that she could ever be held back by fear, because she is governed by God, divine Love.
These lessons have stuck with me and reminded me not to become fearful myself. I simply need to stay calm and recognize that God is holding and protecting me at all times. God is constantly expressing in each one of us freedom and dominion, not fear or timidity. We always have the right to see God’s love demonstrated in all aspects of our lives.
—Kimi Kelley, Weiser, Idaho, US