Have you ever felt as though there was an elephant in the room? You know you see it, it's HUGE, and you can't walk around it or even leave the room without bumping into it. It is so big you cannot ignore it.Sometimes it may be a situation, a person, a feeling, anything that makes us feel as though we are about to be squashed by this huge elephant unless we escape. But many times there is no escaping. We must face that elephant, face our fears, and our inadequacies. Sometimes that elephant makes us feel so very small. Almost as though we don't exist. It envelopes the room and swallows us in, taking us as prisoner. It makes us feel an unease, captivating every sense we have. We can't take our eyes off of it, but yet we don't want to look at it either.
We have all been in those rooms, filled so thick with pain or anger you could cut through it with a knife. You might even need a saw. We allow pain and hurt to overtake our lives. Just a moment walking into a person can cause us to cringe at knowing what will happen. With our emotions so raw, just about anything can set us off. Sometimes you just want to get up on that elephant and ride off never to return. But is the best thing to do, really? Shouldn't we face our fears? We have to face some difficult moments in life. Some that seem so huge, but once they are passed we really understand it wasn't as big as we once thought.
God is bigger than any fear we have. He is bigger than any problem. When we give Him all our anxiety and fear, He fills us with peace and confirmation that everything will work according to His will as long as we follow Him, not allowing our emotions to take over, spilling out actions and words we will never be able to take back.
We naturally want peace with those around us. unfortunately it doesn't always happen like that no matter what we are doing. But we can stand with Christ as our side, knowing we do not have to step to an others level, but we can stand with grace in every situation. We can be strong in knowing if we just allow Christ to speak through us and move through us, others are going to take their eyes off the situation at hand and see Him shining through, instead of that elephant taking up so much space.
I am learning not to hold all those anxieties in, but pray and allow God to show me what to do. Trusting in Him. It is never good to hold pain and anger in. It simply makes us sick. And it makes every situation worse. Nothing gets better by ignoring the problem right in front of you. It's when we let go of the pride, let go of trying to be right, and acknowledging that peace is never going to come unless there is love and forgiveness.
We don't have to shout how we feel. We can speak with love with a tender heart towards those around us. They too know there is an elephant in the room, so if take that first step to solving the problem they will see the grace before us and know we are genuine in wanting peace.
Ever try to lead an elephant around? They don't want to budge. So sometimes we just have to face it and once we do it's amazing how it just simply lifts out of the room as though it was never there, giving space for love, for growth and opportunities for God to move. If we just leave that elephant there is takes us space. It takes up time, and wastes a whole lot of room where love and forgiveness could be planted.
Ignoring or running from our problems does not solve anything. It just creates more anxiety. Hurt creates more hurt unless we are willing to let it go. Why do we want to hang on to it? Sometimes I think that hurt has been our comfort blanket. It has been there for so long we are afraid to let go and see what will happen in that moment we let go of that security we have been holding to for so long.
Trusting God brings hope. Faith increases our growth. And letting go gives room for blessings. Whatever your holding onto today it's okay to let it go. That person you have been avoiding? It's okay to take that first step. That situation that is making you a nervous wreck? It is okay to let go and let God wash you with strength and grace. Trust Him today and just watch how that elephant leaves the room when we face him head on. Facing our fears gives light to to a new day with Christ leading the way!!
1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?"
1 Peter 5:6-7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
