Trusting the Next Moment

 

I’m a scuba diver. I love to dive.

I want to share a story with you that I believe may help you in your own life. This story is one that I will probably make into a book someday. For now, I want to simply share how scuba diving is changing my life today, and how working through my fears may help you work through yours.

In this time of great uncertainty, we are all going through great changes. I hope that my story today will remind you that you are not alone, and that you can overcome adversity.

My wife introduced me to the idea of diving in 2010 when we first started dating. I remember the first time I put on a snorkel and tried to swim across the pool. It was not a pleasant experience. I was afraid of the water. I was afraid of not breathing.

When I graduated to the ocean, that was also not an easy experience. I endured panic attacks, moments of dread, and frankly was not sure how I was ever going to scuba dive.

The very first time I put a scuba tank on my back within my swimming pool was a watershed moment. I remember the first breath was not easy. I wasn’t sure the next breath would come.

Over time, I began to trust this scuba tank that was my air supply. I began to trust that if I took a breath another one would come.

Here is the first spiritual principle that diving has taught me. That when I take a breath another one will come. That when I take a step, I will be guided to the next one.

During the eight years that I have been diving, I have encountered many situations that have reminded me that I will be taken care of. I remember my first night dive, and swimming into a black void not knowing what was behind me or in front of me. Trusting that void has changed my life.

As I have learned to trust the unknown in scuba diving, I have learned to trust the unknown in my life. Recently, so many things have occurred that have made me confront the fact that I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Like swimming into the darkness of the water, I am swimming into the unknown of life.

But aren’t we all doing that? Haven’t we always been living not knowing what’s coming next?

I believe that you have a loving Power that is looking out for you. This Power is surrounding you right now and giving you guidance. You may be facing a situation that seems impossible. Maybe you are experiencing a job loss, food insecurity, a health crisis, or some other situation that is causing you to feel fear and anxiety.

I want to assure you that you are not alone. There are millions of people right now who are struggling in some way. There are many who are not sure how their needs are going to get met.

You are not alone.

The gift that I would like to give you today is that of hope. This hope is not the Pollyannaish hope that everything is always perfect, and that you won’t have any problems. No. The hope I’m referring to is that hope that despite how things look that there is a loving Creator that is with you in the struggle. There is a Power that will help make that next right decision. There is a loving Power that will listen to you as you cry, feel your feelings, and walk through your next difficult day.

I believe in you. I believe that the next moment can be trusted. I believe that you will be taken care of. Consider this writing today a big spiritual hug to you.

Like my ability to overcome my fears of scuba diving, you too can overcome your own fears. Let my story of overcoming empower you to take on that thing that you are afraid of doing. I pray that you can let go and trust yourself and your Creator as you take that next step into the unknown. You will be just fine.