I’m at the beach for a few days this week, and I spent some time this morning sitting alone on the sand, watching the waves roll and crash. We’re expecting a bit of stormy weather later today, and the waters are already angry about it. A yellow flag flies in the wind, cautioning swimmers to be aware of potential rip currents.

Yesterday, I saw a picture on social media of how to spot rip currents. When a wave is coming towards the shore, it’s usually one long line. However, when a rip current is present, there’s a gap or break in the line—a space where a powerful current is moving away from the shore. It can be strong enough to pull swimmers out deeper than they want to go.

When I was a teenager, I was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, sharing a float with someone. We both rested our upper bodies on each end of the float while kicking our feet. Unbeknownst to us, there was a rip current, and no matter how hard we kicked, we couldn’t make progress toward the shoreline. Finally, we managed to turn ourselves parallel to the shore and swim to the beach.

I expect the yellow flags to be taken down later today, traded in for red flags, warning swimmers to stay out of the water. With the storms will come stronger waves and rip currents. Swimmers will risk being carried out into waters where drowning is possible.

I can’t help but think of Grace.

Grace came in like waves, washing over each of us. It brought with it a rip current, grabbing onto our sin and carrying it away. Still, we fight and struggle and try to hold on to guilt and shame instead of relaxing into the truth that Grace has made us holy and set us free. We believe there’s something we have to do when, in fact, Grace has already done everything for us. We simply get to be amazed at the view.