As a young child, I loved the swings at our local park. I used to beg my dad to push me with the chant, "Higher, faster! Higher, faster!"Then, I suddenly went through this phase where I realized, "Oh my goodness, I have been endangering myself! What if I fall off! How in the world could I go up so high without freaking out!" So I stopped swinging. I abandoned it altogether and let my fears keep me from the thing I once enjoyed so much.
One day, I saw a lady with her daughter sitting on the swing. I can't be exactly sure, but I think they were Chinese. At any rate, I don't remember her speaking English. The mother was sitting on the swing with her daughter in her lap. I remember her talking or singing to her child, and for some reason I felt like I could face my fear. I mounted the swing and closed my eyes, wishing I could rid myself of the knots in my stomach, wishing I could enjoy the swing as I used to. I concentrated on the woman's voice, not knowing what she was saying but understanding her meaning, and found myself letting go. I swung. I bit my lip. I swung a little higher. My stomach flopped around, but at least I was doing it. I was swinging! The more I swung, the more I found myself losing my fears. After awhile, I wasn't even thinking about my fears. It was just the swing and me, getting carried higher, faster, higher...
Sometimes, I'm so busy concentrating on my fears, or on overcoming obstacles that I am paralyzed. But it isn't about that. I will always sit there, tightly wound and afraid if I am listening to the voices and fears inside of me. Over-analyzing will only ever slow me down. What I need to do is climb into the swing, close my eyes, listen to the voice of Jesus, without a thought to my safety or security, get lost in the rush of the ride, and let him gently push me higher, faster, higher.
