When Trust Feels Scary

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

There is something wonderfully chaotic about a hotel pool on a family vacation. The scent of chlorine and sunscreen mixes with the sound of kids laughing, adults chatting, and someone always yelling, “No running!”

That was our scene one afternoon at the beach. The sun was hot, the water was cool, and all of us—siblings, spouses, nephews, and grandparents—were soaking up that kind of joy you can’t plan. Just being together.

My nephews were at the shallow end, full of energy and daring. They would stand on the steps, and then swim out to whichever adult happened to be closest.

Except for the youngest.

He just started swimming lessons, and you could tell he was still learning what he could do. But when his dad got in the water, suddenly the water didn’t seem so scary.

That little boy launched himself off the step like it was the Olympics. His arms flailed, his legs kicked, and water splashed everywhere, but he knew exactly where he was going. More importantly, he trusted whose arms would always catch him if something went wrong.

Watching him, I realized how much I want to live like that.

There are moments when God asks us to step forward—into something new, unknown, maybe even intimidating. And our instinct is to hesitate, calculate the risks, stay safe on the steps. But if we really knew His character… if we really believed He would catch us… we would swim.

So what would it look like to trust God like a five-year-old? To believe, without hesitation, that He is there—and that He knows exactly how to catch you?

The water may feel deep, but trust me, He will not let you sink.