In the deserts of Down Under there lives a hardy, greenish-grey frog with a flat head and beady eyes. Like all frogs, this species needs water for survival and reproduction — its eggs must be laid in wet conditions. But often in the Aussie desert, it doesn’t rain for months. Even so, the cyclorana platycephala thrives, thanks to an astonishing process called aestivation. Aestivation is very similar to hibernation, except it happens in response to heat and humidity, not to cold.
Whenever there’s rain, the frog stores water in its bladder or in pockets under the skin. It can survive for months in parched conditions, provided the amphibian takes other precautions. That’s where aestivation comes in.
When a drought begins, the frog uses its powerful hind legs to burrow backwards into the soil, covering itself in seconds. It then surrounds itself in a watertight cocoon made from several layers of its own shed skin. Mucous secreted by the frog lines the chamber and hardens around its body, allowing the frog to hold plenty of water.
Inside this protective shell, the creature stays perfectly still to slow its metabolism and prevent moisture loss. It remains there until heavy rains soak deep enough into the sandy soil to reach the frog. When that happens, the amphibian tears open the cocoon and scrambles to the surface. There, it breeds in small, temporary pools where the resulting tadpoles must develop quickly before the water dries up and the whole cycle begins again.
Aborigines have known about this for ages. Even today, they easily locate the frog’s burrow, place the creature to their mouths and gently apply pressure. Fresh, clean water seeps out and the frog is released unharmed once the drink is done.
In many ways, this is a perfect picture of how people of faith can survive those times in the desert when the heat of conflict and confrontation combines with the overwhelming dryness of spirit that so easily leaves us depleted or depressed. Though some believers assume only weak Christians have emotional problems, that’s not so. In fact, that misconception is devastating because it leads others to make harsh judgements and heaps guilt or despair on those who are struggling.
The truth is, even Jesus spent time in the wilderness, alone with his Father and his human frailty. We all find ourselves in the desert from time to time, which is why it’s important to store up spiritual reserves. We do that by taking deep within us the “living water” — the Holy Spirit — given by God to bring us comfort, counsel and confidence (John 4:10; 14:5-15.)
When troubles arise, we need to burrow deep in the love of Jesus and his people, not to run away but to reserve our strength. There’s true vitality found in prayer, meditation and the contemplation of how God can use his might to change either our circumstances or our ability to handle them. “Be still and know that I am God,” He says (Psalm 46:10) To be still is not to sit and do nothing, but to stop and embrace his strength, wisdom and timing before we leap into action.
The key here is the transforming love of Christ that allows us to shed our old nature and become more mature and secure. We can use our past experiences — especially those hard times when God got us through — to find trust and confidence for what confronts us now. When our growth exudes a faith that holds us together, our capacity to use and maintain the Holy Spirit in our lives increases dramatically.
Then, when the refreshing rain of God’s
strength soaks deep into our hearts once more, we’ll be ready to respond
with new energy, reproducing our faith, even in a hot, inhospitable
climate. But take note. Even when we’re resting and renewing, the parched
and weary around us should be able to find strength from God through us.
Next time you feel the squeeze, release the love and life-giving water of
the Lord.