I was on the highway recently minding my own business as four trucks trapped me in. The one in front of me was on my same wavelength as we were just cruising along. The ones on the right and left were maintaining speed and living their best lives. It was the one on the rear though that kept pressing in. The one that I thought would cause a major catastrophe. My mind began to wonder to all the what ifs. What if I crash on this interstate? What happens with my family? Will they be, okay? Will the job pay for my expenses as I’m on this road because of them? To quiet all the thoughts, I began to pray. The answer I got from the throne room was simple: Stay. I couldn’t panic nor stop. I couldn’t allow the wandering thoughts to take my mind to a place that wasn’t its address. “Stay.” A simple command but a profound one. The more I prayed (with my eyes open) the more I began to see. The three weren’t the ones causing me distress. God then told me that they were there to protect me. What I thought was going to harm me, was there to ensure that no harm came to me.
That one though. It is amazing that with everything going well, we focus on the one thing that comes to distract. “Stay.” “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV). At the time, I was focused on staying in place with the trucks, keeping pace and not 1. being left behind from their safety and 2. being crushed from their capacity.
Being left behind can be as real a fear as moving forward. We can sometimes worry about if we are moving too fast or not fast enough. Are we in harmony with God? Are we following the cloud? Autophobia, or monophobia is the fear of abandonment that can lead to anxiety. Yet, Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to be anxious, pray to God and He will give us peace (paraphrase, of course). So why then are we anxious when all we have to do is give it to God and He will give us peace – a peace that passes all understanding. Maybe this is the issue. We hold onto things that mean us harm instead of exchanging it for the peace that we need. Peace and anxiety cannot dwell in the same place. One brings rest and the other unrest. I love that God gives us a choice here. When we choose the Lord’s peace, we receive a level of safety in knowing all is well, all will be well, all has been well. It is well with my soul isn’t just a song. It can be a feeling so imbedded in one’s spirit that it will rock you to sleep at night when the boat is tossing to and fro threatening to spill you out.
Being crushed from the sure weight of people, things, emotions can be daunting. Sometimes the pressures of this world seem overbearing. “8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (II Corinthians 4:8-9). Once God told me that the trucks were there to protect me then I saw them for what they were – His strong towers. While my initial reaction may have been to flee from the feeling of being boxed in, the latter feeling was one of protection. When we take the time to talk to God about our honest and true feelings, He takes the time to tell us (part of) His plan for us. As soon as the thought to flee came and I admitted it to God, so then came His guidance on what to do and how to do it. My mindset changed with His direction. Often times we allow ourselves to tell ourselves how to govern ourselves. Yet, we say we trust Him. Ourselves cannot see the bigger picture that He can. Ourselves cannot know the path that He knows. Ourselves cannot govern that which is not ours to govern. What ourselves can do is get out the way and let the Created be Himself and do what He needs to do. Now, that we can do all by ourselves!!!
“Stay” in the shelter of His arms. “Stay” in the wisdom of His teachings. “Stay” rooted in His love. “Stay” trusting that His plan supersedes ours. “Stay” connected to the vine. “Stay” trusting that He always wants what is best for you. “Stay, Stay, Stay.”
Be A Blessing and Not Just Blessed
- Nakya