Swimming out of a whirlpool

By Payson

You're swimming in an ocean, just minding your own business when all of a sudden...

A WHIRLPOOL ERUPTS! Quickly you get sucked in by its amazing force as you struggle so hard to escape it's viscious grip. You go around and around, over and over again, but you get tired of fighting. You see no point in trying because you see no way out. Then, just like that, you're gone. You've been sucked in. Totally consumed by this whirlpool.

Could you see it? Could you see yourself going around and around this whirlpool? It's pretty easy to picture in your mind, right? Well go back up to that paragraph and read it again, only this time, replace the word "whirlpool" with "addiction."

This is how I visualize my addictions. I was totally consumed by my eating disorder. I was totally consumed with my cutting. It became an obsession. I couldn't escape from the iron grasp that they had on me. The farther I got in, the harder it was to get out.

But I did get out. You know how? God. God found me and put so many amazing people in my life. He reached out to me, even though I didn't want to be reached out to. God did the impossible. He saved my life. 

I could have easily cut too deep and hit a vein. I could have had a heart attack while purging. I could have developed heart problems because of the anorexia, or I could have succeeded in my two suicide attempts. But I didn't. He didn't let me.

Can you believe that all of this was caused because society told me I wasn't beautiful? More and more people are being sucked into this whirlpool filled with sick lies and twisted beliefs made by society. When will it stop? I mean, who gets to decide when enough is enough?

These "whirlpools" need to be stopped, but how? It seems impossible. I honestly don't believe that they ever will be stopped completely. You're going to face struggles every day of your life. It sucks, I know. But you know what really helps? Wearing God's armor. 

Ephesians 6:13 says, "Therefore pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything you possibly can to still be standing."

God will pick you up. He will save you from the whirlpools of your life. He can do anything if you give your trust to him 100 percent. Had I not done this, I would be 6 feet under ground at this very moment. It's scary to think about really. But here I am! Writing this for you today, as happy and as healthy as I have ever been! Sure, I'm still struggling, but it's nothing compared to what it was.

God got me out of my whirlpool, and now I'm swimming free!