Trusting God saved my life
Originally appeared online in the teen series Trending - August 13, 2024.
I was rafting on the churning waters of the Arkansas River. The waves, intimidating to the other people in my boat, didn’t scare me a bit. We flew around a bend in the river, each rapid being nothing more to me than friendly bumps. I was so happy, so ready, so assured. I plowed my paddle forward.
“Stop!” our guide shouted. But I didn’t hear him. I was too busy playing chicken with the waves.
Our boat rammed into an unseen rock. I flew out of the raft, hit the frigid water, and had the wind knocked out of me. I surfaced quickly, my life jacket pulling me up. But I began to panic because I was far enough away that my raft-mates couldn’t see me. That’s also when I realized that I was the only one in the water.
I struggled to make my way across the river toward the raft. My body was too close to the riverbed for kicking to be of much help. Every time I kicked, my legs slammed into rocks, bruising and cutting my knees and thighs. I didn’t know what to do. Even worse, there was a huge, whirling, whitewater abyss ahead.
I remembered stories I’d heard of people who got stuck in these torrents. I struggled, violently flapping my arms, but it seemed hopeless.
If I hadn’t been terrified before, I certainly was then. The water gushing below me created a torrent that pushed me away from it and back toward it at the same time. I let out a screech as I went down into the icy depths.
I remembered stories I’d heard of people who got stuck in these torrents. I struggled, violently flapping my arms, but it seemed hopeless.
Just then, an idea from God—divine intelligence and Love—came to thought. I knew it was from God because it brought me peace even in the middle of this scary situation. It was surprising how clear the thought was. I realized that even though it seemed that all I could see was danger, there was another way to look at things. I could trust in God. On the heels of this idea, I had the thought to let my arms fall to my sides and lie flat on my back. I did, and a second later, I shot out of the hole.
The water seemed calmer. I looked around and saw the sun. It was framed so perfectly in the sky above me, and it directed my eyes to something floating beside me. It was a rope! I grabbed it instantly, then checked to see if it came from the raft. It did. I was so relieved, and yet I also understood how this outcome was possible—it was because I trusted God instead of getting swept away by fear. I pulled on the rope with all my remaining strength, and the guide pulled me in. I said a special thank you for that message from God.
I understood how this outcome was possible. It was because I trusted God, instead of getting swept away by fear.
There’s a story a Christian Science Sunday School teacher told me about a fly trapped between two panes in a window. It flew back and forth trying to escape, but it was so distracted by the light coming through the panes from outside that it didn’t see an opening at the bottom of the window. The teacher blocked out the light between the window panes to direct the fly to the opening. The fly noticed the opening only after the light had been blocked. I like this as a way of thinking about what happens when we turn away from the distractions of fear and confusion and turn toward God—toward the light of Truth. Then we always find a way forward.
This experience taught me that we must shift our perspective to God, Spirit, and the truth of our existence as wholly spiritual. We are already complete and secure because God creates and maintains us. No human deliberation or worry can get us to the best, most inspired solution, but our wholehearted trust in God, who is divine Mind, can. As Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science wrote, “Neither material finesse, standpoint, nor perspective guides the infinite Mind and spiritual vision that should, does, guide His children” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 373).
I’m grateful to have learned that we can turn to God and trust Him to guide us no matter what.
