--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If life is a river, then pursuing Christ…" description: "\"If life is a river, then pursuing Christ requires swimming upstream. When we stop swimming, or actively following Him, we automatically begin to be swe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/francis-chan-548_christ_if-life-is-a-river-then-pursuing-christ_2098621.png" --- # If life is a river, then pursuing Christ requires swimming… ![“If life is a river, then pursuing Christ requires swimming upstream. When we stop swimming, or actively following Him, we automatically begin to be swept downstream.” quote by Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/francis-chan-548_christ_if-life-is-a-river-then-pursuing-christ_2098621.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/francis-chan-548_christ_if-life-is-a-river-then-pursuing-christ_2098621.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/francis-chan-548_christ_if-life-is-a-river-then-pursuing-christ_2098621.png) > “If life is a river, then pursuing Christ requires swimming upstream. When we stop swimming, or actively following Him, we automatically begin to be swept downstream.” [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The metaphor shows that following Christ is a deliberate, effortful journey against prevailing currents, requiring active commitment. **In simple terms:** Following Christ needs effort against the current. Key Takeaway Stay active in faith. Themes faith commitment spirituality Mood reflective determined Type inspirational spiritual When to use this quote - personal devotion - church community - daily prayer - spiritual disciplines Key Concepts Christian discipleship metaphor resistance Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain effort in your spiritual walk? - What currents in your life pull you downstream? A Different Perspective If one becomes complacent, the current can still drag them away. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Downstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downstream-615983/) [Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Pursuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuing/) [Pursuing Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuing-christ-2210526/) [River Pursuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river-pursuing-4182512/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Swimming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimming/) [Swimming upstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimming-upstream/) ## Related quotes > [“In the same way, you have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-chambers/i-think-again-if-someone-wants-to-know-what-i-believe-then-look-at-my/) [Alan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-chambers/) > [As we begin to focus more on Christ, loving Him and others becomes more natural. As long as we pursuing Him, we satisfied in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/as-we-begin-to-focus-more-on-christ-loving-him-and-others-becomes/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [That's what life is, a continual state of journey. You are a river passing downstream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/that-s-what-life-is-a-continual-state-of-journey-you-are-a-river/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [“When they reached the river, he turned left. “ Tohobt Pah-e-hona , Blue Water River. You call it the Brazos, eh?” He pointed ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/when-they-reached-the-river-he-turned-left-tohobt-pah-e-hona-blue/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [Everything we are, everything we're building, everything we aspire to become, lives downstream from the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-johnson/everything-we-are-everything-we-re-building-everything-we-aspire-to/) [Bryan Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-johnson/) ## More by Francis Chan > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us. Each of us has lukewarm elements and practices in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-midst-of-our-failed-attempts-at-loving-jesus-his-grace-covers/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/jesus-call-to-commitment-is-clear-he-wants-all-or-nothing/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Yes, it is God who works in you. And, yes, there is work for you to do. 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That epitomizes what my life was like: characterized by comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/life-is-comfortable-when-you-separate-yourself-from-people-who-are/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Christ can come back at any time so the one thing you want to have in your life is a focused prayer time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/christ-can-come-back-at-any-time-so-the-one-thing-you-want-to-have-in/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a taste of the awe factor of our God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/awe-factor-video-at-www-crazylovebook-com-to-get-a-taste-of-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“What I want you to do right now is to go online and look at the “Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/what-i-want-you-to-do-right-now-is-to-go-online-and-look-at-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Multi-tasking is keeping me from whole-hearted worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/multi-tasking-is-keeping-me-from-whole-hearted-worship/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The stress that some of us feel - it's a lack of faith, it really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-stress-that-some-of-us-feel-it-s-a-lack-of-faith-it-really-is/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [We have become dangerously comfortable- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-have-become-dangerously-comfortable-believers-ooze-with-wealth-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Not being able to understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/not-being-able-to-understand-god-is-frustrating-but-it-is-ridiculous/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) [Explore all 479 Francis Chan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## More Christ quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/) [C.G. 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