My Embarrassing Shark Story—And How Perfect Love Really Does Cast Out Fear

Are you afraid of sharks? I am. Or I was. You might think, "Sharks? Why should I be afraid of them? I never go in the ocean!" But we all have fears, and sometimes we don't even realize what they are until we encounter them. Fear entraps us like a shark circling and ready to attack.

• You might fear suffering from cancer or enduring life with chronic pain.

• You might fear the harm or death of your loved one.

• You might even fear loneliness or lack.

My prayers about my fears have typically sounded like this, "God, PLEASE don't let this happen. Don't let anything bad happen to my (children, husband, family, friends). Please don't make me endure (chemo, surgery, chronic pain, and illness)."

There is a pleading quality to my petitions. Have you ever pleaded in prayer this way?

We are not alone.

King David pleaded with God, "I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you" (Psalm 141:1).

The apostle Paul pleaded with God, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it (a tormenting thorn in his flesh) away from me"  (2 Corinthians 12:8).

Jesus pleaded with God, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).

 And I pleaded with God, "Please don't let me see a shark!"

This is the story of how God answered that prayer.

I recently learned that my love of snorkeling greatly outweighs my fear of sharks. The buoyancy of the water relieves my pain, and swimming allows fluidity and freedom of movement that makes me almost forget my disability.

Yep! That’s me snorkeling.

Snorkeling reminds me of some of the best parts of my childhood in Florida; I feel like a kid again. These anticipated joys gave me the courage to face my fear of sharks. I felt even safer when my husband and I explored the coral reef together. But he is a West Texas man of dust and earth, so he eventually made his way back to the sandy beach.

I was snorkeling alone, and I was afraid.

As I snorkeled, I prayed, “God, you are in charge of the heavens and the earth. Command any sharks away from me. Please don't let me see a shark!"

That’s just when I saw the shark and had a moment of sheer terror. My heart stopped when I recognized its form and shape; then I noticed its size. It was tiny. Way too tiny. Was it a baby shark? It seemed as if it was moving, but I realized that the current was carrying it. I mustered up my courage and dove down to see...it was a PLASTIC shark!

I learned a few things that day:

• Do not exit the ocean and yell to your spouse, "Well, I finally saw a shark," unless you want a LOT of attention.

• When you are scared to swim, going into the water with someone else can be comforting. When you are facing an uncertain and potentially frightening future, do not face it alone. Are you engulfed by health issues, sorrows, or grief? Tell others. Let them swim by your side.

• Anticipating good things can give you the courage to face tough things. I chose not to let my fear of sharks hold me back from the rewards of snorkeling. But sometimes, we must face things that seem to offer no reward except for pain. In these times, expect and anticipate the goodness of the Lord by trusting that He will provide and care for you.

• God hears and answers our prayers. But He doesn't always answer them the way we expect. Almost as soon as I ended my prayer by saying, "don't let me see a shark," I experienced a moment of pure terror over a plastic shark. My heart was not at peace because I prayed without truly trusting God. Praying without trust is just ruminating on your worries and calling it prayer. Keep praying, but pray in faith and with childlike trust.

My plastic shark story is a humorous example of the magnifying power of fear. Has fear magnified anything in your life? Trusting God helps us to stop meeting small situations with tremendous terror. God gives us the love, power, and peace to face our greatest fears—as I learned on my next snorkeling trip….

What happens when you actually encounter the thing you fear most? 

It finally happened.

It was bound to happen.

This is how the day began... 

My husband found a nearly deserted beach on our next snorkeling trip. It was the kind of beach that you see in movies. The snorkeling was also the stuff of movies; it reminded me of the old Disney World ride Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Time for another embarrassing admission: I listen to Christian hip hop, gospel, and worship songs on a waterproof iPod while I snorkel. There is nothing like praising God while gliding through the ocean and witnessing the sea creatures hidden in the depths. I can spend hours listening to praise music while I snorkel.

My husband, who has no desire to listen to music while he is trying to keep his mask from leaking, once again went to shore.

The water was deep, and schools of fish enveloped me. I was alone, but this time I was unafraid. Instead, amazement and awe intertwined with joy as I listened to the worship song proclaim God's great love for me.

Amid a school of fluorescent fish came the recognizable flash and unmistakable form of a shark.

This time, though, there was no stab of fear. There was no panic or worry.

Instead, I marveled at its lithe beauty as I turned to swim slowly away. Why wasn't I afraid?

I was not praying with panic; I was praising with peace.

Praise music kept me meditating on the loving care of my Sovereign Creator. Recognizing and being embraced by God’s perfect love really does expel all fear.

So, again ... what do you fear? Are you convinced of the Sovereignty of God over your life? Can you trust that God will be with you and care for you even if you must endure tremendous suffering? I have endured decades of life with debilitating pain, disability, and finally, cancer that is considered incurable. I stopped counting my medical procedures years ago—after they added up to one hundred. You might not count your medical procedures, but you can always count on this: God is faithful.

The Lord has blanketed me with peace before surgery. He has filled me with joy during chemo. He comforts and strengthens me time and time again when chronic pain is unbearable.

You do not swim alone through your difficulties. The Sovereign Lord of all creation will surely help you. You can trust God to provide comfort that heals, strength that endures, and hope that perseveres.

Your life is in the hands of a trustworthy and faithful Creator who loves you immensely. You can commit yourself to His care because He cares for you more than you can possibly comprehend.

Thank you for reading my shark story! I hope it brought you encouragement and greater awareness of Lord’s love for you.

Please Comment to Share Your Favorite Worship Song with Other Readers:

I was listening to #Jireh by #MaverickCityMusic and #Elevation Worship during my shark encounter.

Which worship song helps you to remember God’s love for you?