September 27, 2021: Rivers of Difficulty

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown” (Isa. 43:2, NLT).

Thoughts swirled around in my head as the cold water from the Ocoee River in Tennessee swirled around my body. I need to breathe! How do I get out? Oh Jesus, help me. I don’t want to die yet. This whitewater rafting adventure had quickly turned from fun to frightening when our raft went up a rock, and we fell out.

As I was being swept down the river, I remember yelling to my friend that I could not swim. Suddenly, I got sucked into a whirlpool from which I could not escape on my own power. The situation looked grim, as there was no one close enough to pull me out of the rapids that are normally rated 3, but were more dangerous after the previous day’s heavy rainfall. When I thought I could not hold my breath any longer, something seemed to push me from underneath, forcing my head to pop out above the surface of the surging river. Soon I was hauled to safety with a rope thrown by the staff.

What whirlpools do you feel stuck in right now? Whatever “rivers of difficulty” you are passing through, God promises in His Word that He will be with you. Even though the situation might seem grim from your viewpoint, God promises that “you will not drown.” I am so glad we serve a God who holds the power over the deep waters of our souls and the difficult rivers of life. His promises never fail.

Dear God, thank You so much for promising to be with me, protecting me when I journey through deep waters and difficult rivers in my life. Amen.

Alissa Tanguay is a member of the Williamsport church in West Virginia.