After facing this
situation hundreds of times over the past several years, I fully understood
what was happening and how to handle it.
I held her tightly and whispered in her ear that she was safe and could
play when she was ready. I found a seat
out of the way where we could watch her sister and sat calmly with her on my
lap. I rubbed her back and did not say a
word. Meanwhile, she turned to me for
comfort as she worked through her fears.
Before long, her
favorite song “Let it Go” from Frozen
blared over the speakers, and Rosa released her grip and ran off to join her
sister to dance on the trampolines. She
finally felt secure and safe enough to face her fears.
While it often
frustrates me that she needs this wait time, it is what she needs. I am glad
that she feels safe and at peace with me, when she is afraid and
overwhelmed. I am willing to be there
for her because I love her beyond measure.
In
an even greater way, our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to be our comfort
and peace during difficult times.
And indeed, today’s
world is anything but peaceful.
Terrorists threaten to attack our communities when we least expect it,
Ebola has invaded our borders, our kids are no longer safe playing in our yards
without supervision and Christianity is being attacked from without and within. We have so many threats coming from every direction. For many of us, it is overwhelming and we
panic as we think about the future for our children and worry if they even have
a future. We begin to lose hope and let
worry direct our decision-making. Some
will worry so much that they can’t sleep at night, get depressed or hover over
their children afraid for their safety. The need for control takes over.
This
isn’t the kind of life God intended for us.
The
Bible is clear that worry does nothing to improve our lives.
“…which
of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” -Matthew
6:27
In fact,
worry can make us feel weary and burdened (Matthew 11:28)
When we worry begins to make its way into our
hearts and minds, what we need to do is simple:
Run to the arms of the Father who:
·
Has overcome
the world (John 16:33)
·
Is our peace
(Colossians 3:15, John 14:27, Philippians
4:6-7)
·
Will give us strength
(Philippians 4:13, 1 Peter 5:7-10)
·
Is our rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)
·
Will meet
all of our needs (Matthew 6:25-27)
·
Will give us power
(2 Timothy 1:7)
·
Cannot be shaken (Psalm 16:8)
·
Is our shield/protector
(2 Samuel 22:31, Psalm 91:4)
We aren’t meant to
face the struggles of this world alone.
God has His arms wide open and ready for us to run into them and find comfort.
While
we can’t yet physically run into them, there are ways we can feel His peace and
protection:
1) Pray. At the very first moment that fear rises, we
need to pray. Pour your worries on Him
and ask Him for His peace. While the
world around you may not change, your heart and mind will as you allow Him to
bring you comfort.
2) Read and Memorize
Scripture. Read the stories of those who were in some
incredibly horrible situations yet turned to God for peace. Post Scriptures about God’s attributes (like
the ones above) around your home to remind you of the truth and memorize them.
3) Let Go of Control. No matter how hard you try, there is no
possible way to protect your family from every danger out there. Sickness happens, attacks can occur, your
children may be bullied. Entrust your
family to God and TRUST that His plan is greater than ours and give Him
control. Hand your children over to Him
and know that while you may do your best to guide them through this world, they
are ultimately in His hands.
We try to make it on
our own, thinking that we don’t need Him.
But when we don’t seek God, we have missed such an opportunity to feel
the comfort and peace that can only come from Him.
Today, I urge you –
don’t let the dangers of this world overwhelm you and keep you from living the
life God intended. Run to Him and give
Him the chance to bring you His peace and comfort.
About the Author: GINNY
After
two years of in and out depression following the adoption of her two little
girls, Ginny discovered the true joy of motherhood. Her mission is to
help others find this same joy in their lives through an intimate relationship
with Christ. When she isn't having dance parties with her kids, going on
foodie dates with her husband, or singing at the top of her lungs to Disney
soundtracks, she enjoys a good vanilla latte from Starbucks, watches
Downton Abbey, and gets giddy over finding a thrilling new book series.
