Seeing Through The Fog
JEREMIAH 29:11
“I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim both directions of the English Channel. Early in her career, she attempted to swim the approximately 26 miles from Catalina Island to the California coast. On that day, the grueling swim was made even more difficult by a dense fog. After more than 15 hours in the icy water of the Pacific, Florence decided to quit. Unable to see her destination, she lost both the motivation and the strength to continue. She waved to the boat that was trailing her to let her team know she wanted them to pick her up. When it neared, she climbed in, exhausted.
After she got in, she was asked why she had quit. Florence replied that she gave up because she did not know how far she had to go since she could not see the land through the fog. Less than a mile from her destination, she quit simply because she lost hope in what she could not see. Florence was a fierce competitor at heart and did not waste the defeat. Instead, she learned from it. Some months after giving up, Florence decided to swim from Catalina to California once again. On that day, the same thick fog covered the water, preventing her from seeing the nearing land. Having learned from her previous experience, Florence determined not to give up.
She later said she maintained a mental picture of the California shoreline the entire time she swam. With every stroke, she saw her destination. Because she had a vision of where she was going, she was finally able to get there. What you see matters. Your vision of your future matters. Is it one of fear, disappointment, or doubt? Or do you see a future full of goodness and hope, like the one God says He has for you (Jeremiah 29:11)? Vision is a powerful mental tool that you should sharpen on a regular basis because it will give you the courage to continue even when life’s fog prevents you from seeing what’s ahead.
God, thank You for the powerful tool of vision and for helping me to persevere by looking to the promises found in Your Word.
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