What Lies Beneath

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish...old fish, new fish—NO DANG FISH!

I knew what should lie beneath the waters of my little pond—ten assorted Koi and Shubunkin— but I couldn’t see them with my own eyes.

Day after day I stared into the murky water of my fish pond. My eyes sometimes watered from the strain of squinting—and hoping. Hoping for some sign of life beyond the bumpy eyes of the frogs that followed me from beneath the lily pads!

Of course my husband wasn’t the least bit concerned. He said I just had to be patient and trust that they were there. But the Good Lord knows that this girl likes to get a sign!

And so it was, as I stood peering into the water one day faithfully sprinkling fish food, that I saw something move. Something darted beneath the water’s surface—and it wasn’t a frog!  And with my excitement came the familiar feeling of peace I receive when I finally see what God really wants me to see—and I pictured God grinning as He said, “Here’s your sign!”

🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟

Too often I view life much as I had viewed my little fish pond. I imagine how things should appear in my own life, the lives of my children, my family and friends. But the unexpected, the unanticipated—the muck and mire from the past and fear of the future—can muddy the surface of our lives. Cloud our vision, our faith, and dim our confidence in the promises of God.

Some simple pond-pondering:

• Don’t let fear, worry, anger or other negative thoughts clog your mind and heart.
• Keep your filters—your hearts and minds—clean!
• Accept the good with the bad. God uses both to shape our character—ponds attract both fish and frogs!
• What lies beneath—or seems hidden or unclear will eventually come to light. You do your part, with faith that God will handle the rest in His perfect timing.

And so it is now that the pond by which I thought I would sit and ponder so deeply and profoundly has become a place that reminds me that what lies beneath—what lies within me—are faith, hope, and love.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1)

Now, take a minute to see what I now see.