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Wading Through the Weight

Writer's picture: Dericka Canada CunninghamDericka Canada Cunningham

Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder

February 3, 2025



This Week's Anchor


“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

    Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive    

to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,    

Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,    

so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,    

and in his word I put my hope.

I wait for the Lord    

more than watchmen wait for the morning,    

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,    

for with the Lord is unfailing love    

and with him is full redemption.

He himself will redeem Israel    

from all their sins."


Psalm 130 (NIV)


 

As we empowered each other in our Divine ability to defy gravity in last week’s devotion, our former anchor scripture reminded us of the power that waiting on God can provide us (Isaiah 40:31). As I wrapped up that devotion, I couldn’t help but think more about the seasons of waiting that we often find ourselves in on this journey called life. In fact, many of us can agree that our present sociopolitical climate feels like one big collective season of waiting. It’s easy to wait when what you are waiting for is nigh and what you are waiting in is hopeful. But every now and then, and sometimes more often than we’d like, we find ourselves in seasons like the one we are in now, where a new day seems lightyears away, and the wait between now and the next chapter feels brutal to bear. These seasons are those of which we depend immensely on our Faith to trudge through.

 

When I read scriptures about waiting on God as a young girl, the concept of spiritually waiting felt incredibly passive. I would imagine one sitting back peacefully and letting God handle everything until it was ready, almost like waiting for an order at a restaurant. However, as I lived a little more life and was offered some of that good ole on-the-Christ-following-job experience, I came to understand the degree of wading that happens amid our waiting. Exactly what does that mean besides a lovely play on words? Well…we have our ancestors to help us out with this one…

 

Some of you can relate to a childhood similar to my own, growing up in a little country Black church in the South in the 1900s. If your church experience was anything like mine, no matter how progressive Kirk Franklin and his lil’ friends were becoming with their radical gospel music, each Sunday, we had a designated moment in our service where we sang a hymn from the unforgettable, red-bound African American Heritage Hymnal. As a kid, I did not get it. I mean, why sing these old, tired songs when we could be jammin’ out to God’s Property, right? But, oh, when they said we would understand it better by and by, they meant that, because now that I am older and wiser, it’s those hymns that get me through. Their words, melodies, and stories carry such meaning for our communities. And to be honest, as much as I love my new-aged Spotify Rhythm & Praise playlist, as the new year turned and I felt the gravity of where we are as a nation, world, and people, I found myself right back at the hymns of our ancestors for hope, perspective, and encouragement.

 

A few years ago, I felt so compelled to reconnect with our hymns and pass their empowerment and wisdom onto my child that I purchased an African American Heritage Hymnal to keep in our home. As I recently pondered more about wading through the weight we all feel these days, a hymn that many of us are familiar with came to mind: Wade in the Water.

 

Wade in the water,

Wade in the water, children,

wade in the water.

God’s gonna trouble the water.

(Hymn #676, African American Heritage Hymnal, 2001)

 

Growing up, I knew this song as the baptism song, as it was sung to ease an individual into the baptismal pool at our church. But this hymn's true meaning and power lie in its historical context, all of which parallel with the tone of our anchor scripture this week. This spiritual, known as jubilee song, is traced to enslaved Black/African/African American individuals and was used by Harriet Tubman herself. Harriet, a freedom leader, abolitionist, and Underground Railroad conductor, used many spirituals to relay messages to enslaved folks as she attempted to guide them to liberation. This song, in particular, was used to alert those escaping enslavement to get off the trail and into the water to ensure the dogs and slavecatchers couldn’t sniff out their path, as people walking through water did not leave a scent that dogs could follow [1]. 

 

In this way, wading in the water was both active and intentional. They didn’t sit or float in the water; they moved through the water mindfully to preserve the path they had taken. The times we are facing now cannot at all be compared to the times of our ancestors. There is no comparison; nevertheless, something about our present times feels, at the very least, reminiscent of these moments shared through the meaning of the song Wade in the Water and the sentiments expressed in our anchor scripture. To pass through this season of fear, hatred, genocide, and erasure and to preserve ourselves and our communities, we will have to wade in these turbulent waters.

 

So, how can we wade through the weight and wait in modern times? Continuing with the spirit of our ancestors, we, foremost, need to be connected and grounded together. The Underground Railroad would not have existed without deep collective commitment. Furthermore, these powerful spirituals would not have been effective then or later passed through generations without connection and community. Ancient wisdom reminds us, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together” (quoted as an African Proverb). The battle we find ourselves in right now is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. And to sustain ourselves and go the long distance, we will need to foster a few meaningful relationships in our lives: Our relationships with a) The Holy Trinity, b) Ourselves, and c) Our Communities. It’s important to note these relationships are interconnected and often form and evolve in interwoven ways. Here are some perspectives and ideas on how we can remain connected:


Holy Trinity

We must be spiritually grounded by any means necessary. The great thing about our God is that we can connect with him in many ways.

  • Prayer: Prayer is simply our meaningful conversations with God. Praying can look different for varying individuals and even for ourselves, depending on when, where, how, and for what we are praying. In this season, we can release the pressure to pray a particular way and connect with God in whatever form of conversation feels right for us. The more we release pressure, the better we can chat with God throughout our day in impactful ways while also prioritizing special times of more extended prayer. Additionally, it can be powerful to not only enter prayer with demands and petitions but, more importantly, with an open heart for how God might reveal and move us.

  • Song: As mentioned, hymns and spirituals paired with 90s and more modern gospel have been carrying me through. Now’s the time to explore what can carry you through. Just like prayer, you might need different forms of song at varying times of the day, days of the week, or moments of the month. It’s essential to be open to and connected to different forms of song in order to be inspired.

  • Praise & Worship: Although a cornerstone of our church services, praise-and-worship is not limited to the walls of any building. As some often frame it, praise is an everyday expression, and worship is a lifestyle. For example, honoring God through song can be a form of worship, and so is offering a listening ear to a friend in need of support, having patience with a family member or spouse, or volunteering for an advocacy group…We can praise and worship God in many ways, and when we are connected to God in conversation and prayer, we can gain clarity about how we are being called to worship Him (i.e., if you are uncertain about other forms of worship, you can ask Him in prayer).

  • Devotion/Meditation: GBW is one framework for devoting time to God, but there are other ways to deepen devotion this year. Whether you get a devotional journal, share it with others, meditate before or after your devotion, or listen to a devotional-based podcast, there are ways to go deeper.

  • [Insert other ways that you connect spiritually]

Ourselves

The vehicle between connecting with God and connecting with others is our mind-body-spirit. If we don’t care for our mind-body-spirit, it’s impossible to care for or even be healthily connected with others. As we connect with God, our Spirits will be nurtured, but we also have to care for our physical and mental health. Prioritizing our minds and bodies might include:

  • Exploring preventative measures for our physical health (e.g., through getting active, taking multi-vitamins, scheduling/attending routine visits, being mindful of our basic needs of nutritional eating, getting enough sleep/rest, drinking enough water, and more)

  • Following through with health interventions based on prior/current diagnoses (e.g., medication, physical therapy, alternative healing practices, additional appointments, etc.)

  • Engaging self-care (e.g., engaging with fun activities that bring you joy or provide healthy distraction, taking time off, making time for reading, prioritizing/scheduling deeper practices such as meditation and yoga, traveling, enjoying entertainment and good food, etc.)

  • Setting relational boundaries (i.e., prioritizing who is in our life and how we spend our time with these individuals, communicating our relational expectations and needs)

  • Exploring formal/professional mental health support (e.g., therapy/counseling, support groups, spiritual guidance/counseling, community circles, etc.)

  • [Insert your unique ways of caring for your mind-body-spirit]

Our Communities

There are multiple layers and levels of connecting with others. Connection can look many different ways, whether through in-person engagement, phone calls, text messages, virtual meetings, social media, and/or other media. Being open to different ways of connecting and having variety is most important this season. Here are a few aspects of community as ideas for connection:

  • Close friends

  • Extended friends/acquaintances

  • Close Family

  • Extended Family

  • Neighbors/Community Members

  • Church Family/Members

  • Colleagues/Co-workers

  • Sorority/Societies

  • Activism/Advocacy Groups

  • Support circles of other Black women/women of Color

  • Spaces that support other identities/parts of ourselves (i.e., for queer folks, retired individuals, individuals navigating certain health conditions, students/graduate students, athletic teams, groups based on hobbies/interests, art/theater/music/entertainment communities, book clubs and through literature)

  • [Insert additional ways of your own for connecting with community]

Plainly put, like our ancestors, we need God, ourselves, and each other to get through these next few years. So, as we enter a new week and, finally, a new month, let us not wither away in disconnection and isolation but instead wade thoughtfully, lovingly, and purposefully together.

 

Reflection

  • What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?

  • What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you wade both internally and collectively?

  • What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?


Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week

  • Tuesday: Psalm 33:20-22

  • Wednesday: Psalm 86

  • Thursday: Psalm 107:1-3

  • Friday: Jeremiah 29:11-14

  • Saturday: Romans 12:9-21

  • Sunday: Romans 15:13


My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide



 

A Song of Inspiration



 

Quote of Love & Liberation


“Anytime you get more than a couple of Black women together,

you're creating this powerful mechanism for change.”

Kimberly Bryant








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