A YOUNG man who was in trouble about his soul had been opening his heart to a friend, and telling him his difficulties.
This friend discerned very quickly that he was striving to acquire what God offers as a gift. He spoke of “sincere prayers” and “heartfelt desires” after salvation, but continually lamented that he did not “feel any different in spite of it all.”
His friend did not answer him at first, but presently he interrupted him with the inquiry, “W—, did you ever learn to float?”
“Yes, I did,” was the surprised reply. “And did you find it easy to learn?” “Not at first,” he answered.
“What was the difficulty?” his friend pursued.
“Well, the fact was, I could not lie still; I could not believe or realize that the water could hold me up without any effort of my own, so I always began to struggle, and of course down I went at once.”
“And then?”
“Then I found out that I must give up all the struggle, and just rest on the strength of the water to bear me up. It was easy enough after that: I was able to lie back in the fullest confidence that I should never sink.”
“Well, do you know what God says to a man who feels himself a sinner? Read this: ‘He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.’ Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5). Can you lie still and trust in that? It is God who speaks, and the moment you only believe Him, you will find for your soul what you found for your body when you trusted the waters.”
ML 02/08/1925