There are important life lessons from rivers that can give us insights into its powerful flow. These lessons can greatly help us along our journeys with God. If we pay careful attention, they can ignite our candles with hope and keep them burning on.
I share a very close relationship with Rivers. One of my usual activities is to pay them a visit to meditate and pray. I love to listen to the waters rushing against the rocks, singing a soothing melody of praise unto the Great Creator.
It is a beautiful sight to watch the sunshine bask upon the surface of these often still waters. This glistening is Godical (filled with God). There were times I used to watch the birds diving into the river to fetch fish. These special moments I can never forget.
I’ve also often dreamt about the River. Some of my most wonderful and peaceful dreams happen when I dream about the pure, gentle flow of water. It reminds me of the scripture that says:
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.John 7:38
6 Important Life Lessons From Rivers
When it comes to life lessons from rivers, there are a lot of them. If you have ever been by the river side, you might understand what I mean. If you haven’t, I invite you to take a moment to experience such sensation. Maybe then you will hear what the river is saying.
In this blog post I want to discuss some of the lessons rivers teach us, and see how they can bless our lives. I believe that every aspect of nature is filled with the power and the glory of God, specially formulated to inspire us with life. Let’s look at them.
1. Rivers Teach Us To Keep Moving No Matter What
You cannot stop the flow of the river. You can interrupt it, but the river will eventually find a way. It is very determined to continue along its journey. When it comes to wisdom from rivers, this one is most profound.
An important life lesson from rivers is that we should keep moving no matter what. Nothing or no one can stop the flow of the river except God who made it. Men will try to suppress it, yet the river is so resilient that it will continue its flow. It will breach barriers and continue to where it is going.
As we move along, many things will try to stop us from moving forward. There are people and circumstances that will want to arrest us but we can never allow them to do this. We should be like the river and keep flowing no matter what.
A Life Lesson From Rivers Is to Never Give Up
The stubborn flow of the river is representative of never giving up. I have personally had to us this strategy many times in my life. There have been circumstances that have tried to stop my flow, but what I have learnt is that like a river I have to keep flowing on. I have had to forget the things that are behind me, and look forward to the roads ahead – while I press.
The river will erode the things in its path that want to stop it. This might take some time but we see that the river is very patient in continuing. It continues to move and to erode and to press. As people of God, we should learn this great trait.
We should make up our minds that regardless of what comes to defeat us, we will build resilience and get tougher as the going gets tough.
2. An Important Life Lesson From Rivers is That There is more beneath the surface
This is the same with us as we interact with each other. When you meet someone, what you see is the surface of that individual. This surface might look attractive but the true person is beneath that surface.
The only way to truly know someone is to know them from the inside out. In other words, we can only know some one if we know them from the heart. Yet this is not very possible as only God can see the heart. As we understand this great wisdom from the river, we will become wise in interacting with other people.
God Looks At The Heart
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
When Samuel invited Jesse to a sacrifice ordered by the Lord, Samuel was tasked with selecting one of Jesse’s Sons as the New King of Israel. Jesse called his sons one by one for Samuel to select the chosen one.
Jesse chose his sons based on their outward appearance, thinking that their physical stature would be the qualifying factor. Yet God said to Samuel “Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” Here we learn a very important lesson of God. God looks at the heart.
We should be careful in applying this principle in our lives. We should be keen to see beyond the surface and understand the heart. Among life lessons from rivers, this particular one is packed with divine wisdom.
3. A Life Lesson From Rivers Is That Sometimes Storms Can Make You Better
During heavy showers, the water would overflow its banks and disturb the nearby vegetation. Yet after these showers the stream was washed of all debris and contamination. I noticed that these heavy showers removed dead vegetations and made way for new growth. In the end, the river became better because of the storms it endured.
When it comes to what we can learn from rivers about life, This is high on the list. We must be fully convinced that our storms have come to make us better. During our storms we might be intimidated by the strong winds and the heavy flow of water, but if we endure to the end, we’ll get to experience the aftermath.
The aftermath is filled with hope, life and new growth.
4. Another Life Lessons From Rivers Is That They Teach Us How To Support and Sustain Life
Rivers provide food and habitat for not only plants and animals but also for humans like you and I. We get food and water from the river. The river also helps us in various forms of transportation.
It is often said that water is life, which I believe to be very true. This statement is used to emphasize the importance of water. Our own are testaments of this reality because up to 70% of the human body is made up of water.
So what is this teaching us in terms of life lessons from rivers? Not only does it teach us about our own value in the lives of others, but others are also valuable to us. Writing is what I do as my service to humanity because it is my calling. You too must do what you do best to bless the lives of others.
5. Rivers Teach Us How To Be More Flexible and Adaptable
Similarly, in life, we must learn to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and challenges, embracing change rather than resisting it. It is easy to resist change, yet the river teaches us to embrace it and know that change for us is an act of God. The truth is that change can be the most beautiful thing.
6. Rivers Teach Us How To Let Go
Yet, the river teaches us how to let go of our turbulent flow in order to welcome new flow and to preserve ourselves. Just as rivers continually let go of water downstream, we can learn the value of releasing what no longer serves us, whether it’s negative emotions, past mistakes, or material possessions.
Letting go allows us to move forward unburdened and open ourselves up to new experiences and growth. The truth is that we have to let go of the past to release the great future ahead of us and the river teaches us to do this very well.
The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
For sure, we must let go of yesterday in order to welcome the new day that the Lord has made.
