Years ago, a young Florence Chadwick stepped into the chilly waters of the English Channel during its usual grey fog and unfriendly weather. She could hardly see the boats escorting her. Still, she swam for fifteen hours. Abruptly, and without warning, Florence begged to get out of the water immediately.        

Her mother, in a boat alongside, told her she was close to completing the swim across the Channel. And yet, physically, and emotionally exhausted, she stopped swimming and was lifted from the chilly waters. In the boat wrapped in blankets, she soon discovered her mother was right. The shore was less than half a mile away.

At a news conference the next day she said, “All I could see was the fog.…I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.” We can easily relate to these words or, similarly, if we only knew the distance.

Our lives can be blurred by the “fog” of troubles, worries, doubts, health issues, employment security, financial uncertainty, strained relationships, and the passing of loved ones.

Certainly, we have moments of joy and celebrations, but the world today is full of struggles, suffering, and climate change. It is no wonder that we can easily quote Charles Dickens from his novel, The Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Life’s woes often create a kind of fog making it difficult to see clearly moving forward.

It is during these instances that God’s chosen people throughout the ages grasp their resources of inner strength and perception. Namely, the presence of the Holy Spirit and the perpetual nearness of Jesus, the saviour, who continually works to protect and care for his beloved flock.

It is the presence of the Spirit and Jesus which keeps us under the glow of God’s protective light and from falling into a chasm of fog. Their presence brightens our way, propelling us always in God’s direction: towards heaven!

As Paul, the apostle, who faced hardship, beatings, and imprisonment, said:

One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3: 13-14)

Paul knew where he was going. He was moving heavenward. As a runner sets his eyes on the finish line, Paul set his eyes on heaven. He was able to see the shore. And in seeing the shore, heaven becomes a reality in our hearts.

The Scriptures suggest when we live what Jesus taught us, we are headed in the right direction to his Father’s house where there is “no more death,” “no more mourning,” and “no more crying or pain.” In heaven, God himself will wipe away our tears. This is what awaits us on the other side of any fog that we find ourselves struggling with from time to time.

Unlike Florence Chadwick’s words: “I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.” Instead, we can see our heavenly home clearly thanks to Jesus’ love – and so arrive safely.

Don’t let what you can’t do get in the way of what you can do!