In 1952 a great swimmer, Florence Chadwick, attempted to swim 26 miles from the California Coast to the Catalina Island. As she swam she was followed by a boat with a team of people keeping a watch out for sharks and being ready to assist her if she became too tired or sore to continue. After Florence had been swimming for about 15 hours the fog set in and her confidence began to vanish. With the fog thickening and decreased determination to meet her goal, Florence asked to be pulled into the boat only 30 minutes before reaching the unseen shore.
Life often presents fog in our field of vision dimming clarity and blurring our focus of ‘our shore‘ or goal. Enduring to the end requires determination, courage, integrity, strength and even Faith. Faith in ourselves and faith in Jesus Christ. We will not always have 20/20 vision. Satan has the power to distort our view ahead or cast fog in our path in hope’s of throwing us off course. These things certainly can make enduring to the end more difficult. In those times of less than perfect clarity we may have to listen to our heart and mind and those heavenly promptings that will protect us from the sharks and guide us safely to shore.
Sometimes we can only endure the hour ahead or one day or one week or one year. We can look ahead to where we want to end up, but we all have to take the necessary steps to get there. Shortcuts rarely bring success. Often things worthwhile are not easy to obtain.
Florence Chadwick began swimming as a young child. She was in competitions by the age of six. She was determined to meet her goals. She slowly worked her way up to her 26 mile swim to the Catalina Island which she finally achieved on her second try.
God will help you reach your goals. He will protect you from the sharks, He will pull you in the boat when you become exhausted. God will help you as you endure to the end of mortality, keeping your eye on a glorious Eternity with blessings greater than anything imaginable. Do you only endure or do you endure well, having faith in a brighter day?
by Tanya Christiansen