Sink or Swim

The summer before my freshman year my parents convinced me to participate on our city swim team. For two months, I arrived each morning at 7 am to train in the frigid outdoor Prineville city pool. The greatest challenge I faced was the fact that I actually didn’t know how to swim. I was relegated to the “beginners” group, joining a pack of swimmers much younger than me. After those first practices, before collapsing into a 3-hour nap, I appealed to my parents to quit the team. But through their firm encouragement I was required to stay the course.  

I wish I could complete the story with tales of marked improvement and victorious perseverance. Instead, I achieved a long list of event disqualifications (mainly in butterfly and breaststroke) and reprimands from my coach for “walking on the bottom of the pool” instead of swimming. There was even one race where I was lapped by all of my competitors, and my timing judge actually let me finish a lap early. While my lack of physical talent certainly contributed to my failures, my occasional resistance to the training certainly did not help.

Failure is a common reality for all human beings. Sometimes, failure is due to our own simple imperfections. Other times, failure is a direct result of our intentional straying from God’s design for character. At times, accountability and even discipline are necessary components to persevere through failure. The writer of Hebrews explains that “no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (12:11). The most sustainable form of discipline is self-discipline. Self-discipline is developed from a heart that has been transformed by Jesus Christ. Our Lord and Savior not only redeemed our souls by His death and resurrection, but He is in the business of constantly redeeming us daily. What a wonderful gift! A gift we can access at any time. Internal discipline drives us to do our best and make things right with the world around us when we occasionally stumble.

When I entered High School that fall, I quickly realized that my traditional spot at the back of the pack of the Cross Country team had improved. A summer of swimming had greatly increased my cardiovascular endurance, and I soon found myself leading in many races. While perhaps a trivial illustration, I learned the profound wisdom of how failure and perseverance can provide tremendous growth. I became grateful for the loving correction and wisdom my parents provided for me, as well as the caring accountability my coach constantly taught me.

In our second year of providing a CCS swim team, we have 20 students competing this year! As is true in all of our school activities, these athletes will face daily challenges that will test their character. There will be wins and losses, victories and failures. I pray that our coaches and parents will help guide them toward humility, diligence, and perseverance throughout the season. I pray that all of us will continue to do the same in every sphere of influence God has gifted to us. If you want to be a part of the chorus of encouragement, feel free to watch our Eagles speed through the water at one of our Swim Meets.