The helicopter ride turned faulty and our helicopter started falling. I looked down I saw water and for a moment, I was slightly relieved...very slightly. My thoughts at the time were that I was a pretty good swimmer and if we crash in the water, I can swim to safety.
My next cognizant thought was being in the water. It was dark and the crash had me disoriented. In my efforts to orient myself, I paid my attention to the helicopter and started swimming toward the propellers. No matter how hard I swam, I couldn't not find the surface. I was running out of breath and so I swam harder. Right when I couldn't hold my breath any longer, I woke up.
What does this all mean you ask? In the stress of my accident (remember: it was only a dream), I had forgotten my training. Years ago, I went through Aviation Challenge training as a camp counselor at the Space and Rocket Center. Aviation Challenge is a adventurous, children-oriented, military camp and one of the simulations was a helicopter crash. The experience was more fun that anything but one tidbit of information given to me was essential: The propellors of the helicopter are the heaviest.
Had I taken a second to focus instead of panic, I would've remember that. With the propellors being the heaviest part, they would sink first flipping the helicopter upside-down in the water. So, no matter how hard I swam towards the propellors, I was swimming away from the surface.
God is saying today that if we focus on what is heavy to us, we will be going in the wrong direction. You can work harder, run faster, study more, you can employ every gift that God has given you but, if you are going the wrong way, you are wasting your time.
The propellors are necessary for the helicopter. This note is not enlighten you on how to eliminate your heaviness. It is to merely 1) take account of where your propellers are. What is heavy or stressful to you right now? Is it overwhelming you? Drowning you? 2) Leave the helicopter. Although disoriented and panicky, I had enough sense to do that. Had I stayed in the helicopter, I would have surely died. There are two accounts in the Bible commanding us to cast our cares on God (Psalm 55:2, 1 Peter 5:7). Cast them, throw them! You wouldn't leisurely leave a sinking helicopter, admiring all of the sights on the way out...or would you? 3) Focus on things that are good. Phil. 4:8, 9 says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Then, and only then, 4) swim!
I hope this helps someone because it sure was an eye-opener for me. Love you guys!