“HOW GOD SAVED ME FROM DROWNING” a true story about answered prayer and divine intervention

After a careless mistake, I had put myself in a perilous situation in which only God’s swift answer to my desperate prayers could save me

Feb 23, 2024

THE DAWNING LIGHT, Volume 8, # 789 Friday, February 22, 2024

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS Section # 7 Stories by Chinmayan about the power of prayer to invoke direct divine intervention and help in desperate and seemingly hopeless situations

All images in this story by the kind courtesy of Pixabay

After a careless mistake and not paying attention, I put myself into a desperate and seemingly hopeless situation in which only God’s swift answer to my prayers could save me

I IGNORED MY DAD’S WISE ADVICE and PUT MYSELF IN A PERILOUS SITUATION

When I was a young man and still living on the beautiful tropical island where I grew up, one of the things I loved to do was go swimming in the warm waters of the ocean at least once a day.

There were miles of pristine white sand beaches, with gentle waves crashing onto them, where there were no houses and few people. It was here that I loved to go for long walks in solitude every evening, and then go for a swim before heading home.

I had been told many times by my dad that “Son, the ocean can be so beautiful, but always remember that it can also be very dangerous. Always pay attention because if you do something stupid, it might be the last thing you ever do.”

He reminded me that every year, several people, usually tourists, but also experienced locals, would lose their lives to drowning...and that he did not want me to be one of them.

But one day I made a near fatal mistake by not checking conditions in the water before I waded out past the surf line.

After blissfully swimming for half an hour, with my face towards the incoming waves so that I could dive under them as they rose up, I turned and looked back toward the shore.

A jolt of panic shot through me as I realized the beach was now faraway and getting further away by the minute.

I SUDDENLY REALIZED I WAS BEING CARRIED AWAY BY A POWERFUL RIP TIDE

I realized that I was caught in a powerful rip tide current that was rapidly taking me out to sea.

I knew that these rip tides occurred frequently on this side of the island and were the cause of countless drownings in the past.

I immediately started swimming against the current, and though I was a powerful, very experienced swimmer, the current was far stronger, and faster, and kept carrying me out to sea.

The beach soon became a mere dot on the horizon.

No one knew where I was, for I always liked to swim alone, ignoring my dad’s advice to never go in the water by myself.

At that moment, I was confronted by the very real possibility that my life was going to end in a watery grave where my body would never be found.

I was in deep water and knew that I couldn’t tread water forever in hopes that someone would sound the alarm and a search launched to find me because it would be many hours before I would be missed.

Suddenly I had the experience of time slowing down as my entire being became focused on my situation.

My life flashed before my eyes as I saw no way to escape the perilous situation.

I HAD MADE A STUPID MISTAKE THAT COULD COST ME MY LIFE

I was filled with regret that my own stupidity had put me in peril, and I realized how very precious life, which I usually took for granted, really is.

I suddenly saw in crisp detail all the opportunities, blessings and grace my life contained and did not want to die now, alone and unknown.

I started praying with tremendous urgency and supreme focus “Oh God, please save me!” Over and over, for I knew I could not save myself.

I commanded myself to stop panicking, because giving into fear would lead to certain death.

As I calmed down, I heard the sweet gentle voice of the divine inner guidance whispering in my heart, “Son, lie down on top of the water on your back and relax.”

As soon as I followed those instructions, my body was floating in the top six inches of water, and I realized the rip current had released me as it was running about two feet down.

SAVED BY “THE STILL SMALL VOICE WITHIN”

Then, the inner guide suggested “Son, now relax and take your time and back stroke your way back to the beach.”

I was filled with an ineffable, perfect peace of feeling protected and cared for.

I felt the presence of God staying with me for the hours that passed as I back stroked towards shore.

I realized that though I was near exhaustion before from fighting the rip tide, now a pure limitless energy flowed through me.

I was completely present, enjoying the feel of the sun kissing my face and a cool breeze flowing over me, watching sea gulls flying overhead.

Finally, after what seemed like a life time of back stroking through the warm water, an incoming wave lifted me up, carried me to shore and gently laid me down on the warm white sand of the beach.

MY LIFE WAS SAVED BY THE DIVINE’S SWIFT RESPONSE TO MY PRAYERS

My life had been saved by direct divine intervention, and as I thanked God for delivering me, my faith expanded and strengthened.

I vowed to never be so cavalier again and always check out the prevailing conditions before diving into any situation.

This experience was a major turning point for me.

I had seen my own potential death in stark detail, and as I lay on the warm sand, safe and grateful, I knew my life had been given back to me so that I could do great things with it.

In the course of my long life since then, there have been many times when I prayed for help with intense longing for the help and answers I needed.

My sincere, fully focused prayers have always been answered in the perfect time and way.

I now know for certain that, as long as I make the effort to focus and pray through, I can always pray my way into the presence of God, and in that sweet, loving space clearly hear the “still small voice within” of the inner guidance.

I KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT GOD LOVES AND CARES FOR EVERY ONE OF US

Through this and all of my experiences of answered prayer, I have consciously developed a powerful faith and trust that the Divine cares for us, is here for us and will always respond to our calls for help.

God has no favorites, and wants to be “our very present help in times of trouble and need.”

We will be talking much more about the power of prayer, how to pray effectively and share more stories of miraculous answered prayer experiences in future issues of “The Dawning Light.”

All to encourage you to develop your own prayer life and practice, because, no matter how careful you are, how rich you may be or how carefully you have crafted your life, there will come times and situations in your life that are far beyond your ability to resolve by yourself or any other human agency.

Fortunately, God is ever ready to provide the help we need…as long as we are willing to pray through and ask for help directly from the divine with humility, sincerity and determination.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, Present your requests for help to God.” —Philippians 4:6

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