Why is it we fear the unknown? I even fear the known. Every since my sons accident last week I have been a literal mess. Gonna be just totally transparent here. I have even questioned if I pray enough. Did I cover him enough in prayer when he left? This put me in total prayer mode. Now, there is nothing wrong with prayer. We are to pray without ceasing. Prayer should be part of our daily lives. But, for me, I think Satan had me right where he wanted me. In fear mode. I was trying to pray and cover each base. Each step of my children and husband.
So, what happens now if there is another accident? Am I going to be left questioning the Lord, asking Him, "Did I not pray enough? Did I not cover all in Your will?" That's not God's intention. We are not to live in fear. We are to trust Him. I am to pray and lay all in His hands.
There are things in life that I can control. Like what I put on today and if it's up to the Lord, He would have me decked out in His finest armor. I can choose what I want for breakfast and even whether I want to get out of bed. I can even control if I want to be nice to someone. But whether or not my son leaves the house at five in the morning and has an accident? I cannot control that. There is nothing more I can do than pray over my son and leave Him in the Lord's hands. Is there any better place?
He protected my son in that accident. I witnessed his power as I seen photos of our car. I know the Lord heard my prayers that morning. But what if it would have turned out another way? Would I still be worshipping my Savior today? I have always prayed I never receive that call that no parent wants to answer, but friends, it happens.
I see friends going through illness, suffering and battles that are unknown to me, but very real to them. It's not that we question God and ask, "Why me?", but we should be so close with the Lord we are willing to say, "Why not me, Lord?" There is no happenstance. There is nothing that just occurs for no reason. We may not understand every reasoning. This is where trust and faith come in to our walk. It's part of the journey.
We must pick a side. We cannot ride the fence. I don't want to be on the side of fear, but on the side that holds peace and that can only be found as I walk closely with Christ. Of course, we aren't going to find that perfect picket fenced life here on earth, but that's part of the journey. It's watching God do things with our lives that we could never imagine. It's dreaming big and watching God move in those dreams. It's focusing on thanksgiving and praising Him for all He has done, is doing and will continue to do. I must realize no matter what God allows to happen in my life, He is going to take my life and use it for His glory. He can even take my biggest mess and turn it into to beauty...when I place my life and my trust in His hands. That doesn't mean giving Him a few things in my life and keeping a tight hold on the rest. It means surrendering all to Him.
I have faced trials that maybe you have not. There is not one trial that is more important to the Lord than another. It's nothing we can do on our own. Friends, it's all Him. He simply wants our love and trust. It doesn't mean we are not going to wake to a day we never dreamed of happening. It doesn't mean we are not going to get sick. It doesn't mean we are never going to have a bad day again. We live on earth for now. We live in a sin filled world. It is only on the other side of heaven that we will see perfection at it's greatest.
So, what am I learning? Take each moment and hold it with tenderness. Don't expect happiness, but make joy. There is a huge difference. I'm trying to weed out all that isn't important and holds a place of purpose in my life. In doing so I believe I am giving God the room He needs to do a work in my life.
Why do we fear what we do not know? We fear tomorrow and circumstance that hasn't even come yet. Why do we allow Satan to grasp a hold of our precious time? Let go and let God. Trust Him today with EVERYTHING known and unknown. Find joy in the here and now and let God take care of ALL that surrounds us. Just imagine life when we totally live in His will. Just imagine when we turn to Him every moment we feel uncertainty or fear. Imagine simply trusting Him and saying, "Okay Lord, take my today and make it Yours". Friends, the Lord takes every circumstance and turns it into an opportunity for His honor and glory to be shown. I don't want to stand in the way of that. In fact, I want to see it!
Satan wants us living in fear. He isn't concerned with those not living for the Lord. He has them right where he wants them. He is on attack for those living for the Lord. He is always there in wait for the opportunity to steal away our joy, our peace and our faith. He is the deceiver. He will try every way possible. For this reason we must remain in prayer. It's up to use to change our focus. It's up to us what we allow in our life. If there are people or circumstances that are causing you to stumble, remove them. Remove that fear and replace it with peace through prayer.
For me, just knowing the Lord is in total control and has a plan, brings a peace to my heart. I don't want to live a life in fear, but one in victory and that is exactly what we find in Christ Jesus.
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
