When we think of the word drown, it usually has a pretty negative connotation. Drowning doesn’t seem like a good thing.
But when my friend Joy came to my house for a co-writing session, her idea for a song title was “Drown.”
Hmm, interesting, I said. It instantly intrigued me. There’s a lot of ways we could go with that title.
We discussed many different ideas, but we landed on the idea of drowning being complete and total surrender to God. Dying to ourselves and being completely submerged in the will of God.
In other words, a good kind of drowning!
The song was really fun to write, and it’s honestly one of my favorites to sing. Tune in this week on our Choose Facebook page and you will see Joy sing it live. She is one of the worship leaders for Choose and helps us with Weekday Worship. It’s really a cool song, and she gives it the Memphis, bluesy edge it deserves, so make sure you tune in!
The reality is, however, that drowning isn’t always so fun and easy. Totally and completely letting go of our will and trusting entirely in God’s will for us can be extremely difficult. In fact, it can be terrifying, just as drowning physically would be. It’s hard to get our will out of the way, our dreams, our plans, our hopes, and our desires.
When we enter into total surrender, that's when all the questions start coming in: What if things don’t turn out like I think they should? What if I’m asked to do something I’m afraid of doing? What if I don’t feel qualified to do what God is asking me to do? What if……
Yet drowning is what leads us to new life in Christ. When we die to ourselves, that’s when we have the opportunity to drown in something beautiful and life-giving: God’s goodness, mercy, love, forgiveness and peace. Total surrender is where total freedom can be found.
So how do we do this in a practical way? I think the words to our song may help a bit. Here’s the first verse and the chorus:
I’ve been treading water, not getting anywhere
About to go under, I’m fighting for air
Sometimes I like the shallow ‘cuz I can see my feet
But you called me to something greater, You called me to the deep
Oh, You called me to something greater, You called me to the deep
You say, go to the bottom, rest in the water
Don’t come up ‘til I say so
Freedom is waiting, a new place I’ve been saving
Sometimes those walls won’t come down ‘til you drown
We all want to stay in the shallow end where it feels safe. It’s our human nature. But God is calling every one of us to go to the deep, to get beyond a casual relationship with Him and move into one that’s deep and lasting and life-changing.
Jesus gave us instruction on this in Matthew:
“Those who cling to their lives will give up true life. But those who let go of their lives for my sake and surrender it all to me will discover true life!”
Matthew 10:39 (TPT)
Clinging to our old lives doesn’t serve us well. We end up treading water, not getting anywhere. We stay stuck.
Treading water may feel safer at the time, but drowning and surrendering all is where we discover a much more beautiful life. That’s the life I desire.
How about you? Does the idea of drowning terrify you?
I get it. It’s hard to let go. But maybe it’s time to “sink into surrender, fall into the flood,” and drown!
The lyrics to the whole song are below. And don’t forget to catch Joy on Facebook!
And now, go ahead, take a deep breath....and drown!
Hugs and love,
Jill
Drown
Words and music by Jill Miller (SESAC) and Joy Rode (ASCAP)
VERSE 1:
I’ve been treading water, not getting anywhere
About to go under, I’m fighting for air
Sometimes I like the shallow cuz’ I can see my feet
But you called me to something greater, You called me to the deep
Oh, you called me to something greater, You called me to the deep
You say
CHORUS:
Go to the bottom, rest in the water
Don’t come up till I say so
Freedom is waiting, a new place I’ve been saving
Sometimes those walls won’t come down
Till you drown
VERSE 2:
I’m swimming in Your ocean telling You what to do
I wrestle with the outcomes when plans don’t come through
So I’ll sink into surrender, I’ll fall into the flood
Knowing at the right time You will lift me up
Knowing at the right time You will lift me up
You Say
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
You gotta drown in His goodness
You gotta drown in His mercy
You gotta drown in amazing grace
In His faithfulness and peace
(repeat)
CHORUS:
Go to the bottom, rest in the water
Don’t come up till I say so
Freedom is waiting, a new place I’ve been saving
Sometimes those walls won’t come down
Sometimes those walls won’t come down
Oh, sometimes those walls won’t come down
Till you drown