Treading Water

Some days I can barely keep my head above water. Waves of negative circumstances and the weight of single motherhood threaten to drag me down. Life becomes less about thriving and more about surviving. I would love to swim, but in some cases I find myself just treading water.

The concept of treading water bears a negative connotation due to the lack of forward movement. Treading water can be deemed as unproductive or lazy, but it is important to note that treading water is an important survival technique that can also be applied to our walk with Christ.

When we encounter the deep waters of life and we have expended our energy swimming we may be forced to tread water.

Treading water will provide us with the means to take a break and allow our energy to be restored. Unlike floating, treading water encourages us to remain alert and upright so that life’s currents don’t take us by surprise.

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”—Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

Treading water affords us an opportunity to spend an extended amount of time above water, surveying our progress, and ensuring we’re headed in the right direction.

“As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.”—Micah 7:7 (NLT)

So, today tread water. Take a break from swimming. Allow God to restore your energy. Allow God to provide you with direction. Allow God to come to your rescue. Treading water provides us with a valuable opportunity to wait on God. Sometimes He allows us to exhaust our efforts so that we will slow down, stop swimming, recognize our deep need for Him, and just wait. So, relax, catch your breath, and allow God to prepare you to swim again. We can do whatever we need to do in life through Christ.




Ashley Ivery is a single mother of two brilliant children, Aiden and Devyn, with an overwhelming desire to empower women and help them to realize the importance of a relationship with God. Through her writing she hopes to encourage women to claim their strength and value in Christ. Ashley serves as the Residential Listing Partner for Team Harris Real Estate. She graduated from Fayetteville State University in 2012 with a BS in Psychology. Her motto is: "Be Authentic. Live Honestly. Dispel Light."