I kill bugs now. I’ve lived in the mountains for two months and I’ve probably killed more bugs in the short amount of time I’ve been here than over my whole life! They’re everywhere and somehow they sneak inside our very old home. Spiders, flies, bees, some bugs I’ve never seen before and don’t know what they’re called. It’s not fun, for sure, but it’s life now. Before mountain life I was too scared to kill them. Hubby to the rescue every time (or Dad as a child). I couldn’t handle them. The fear was too overwhelming. And now, with two small children, bugs in the house are oh so much fun... they scream, they jump, they cry. So for all of our sanity’s sake, Mommy or Daddy kill the bugs.
I could use this as a metaphor...killing bugs could equate to killing fears that keep us from the ideas that scare us or the dreams that we know God has for us but seem too daunting to reach. I could go there...and I will because God is teaching me that fear is a decision and it doesn’t come from Him. The Bible says in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We’ve done some scary things this year. Some may see them as unwise or dumb. But we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these events that have taken place are God’s will. How do we know? From praying, reading the Bible, getting counsel from friends & family and honestly, God’s given us little hints here and there. Like Facebook posts or blogs or podcasts. Yes, God uses technology too. There was no denying the steps that needed to be taken for us to get where we are. Each one wasn’t easy. Each one was terrifying in some ways. But the peace, oh the peace that comes after following Him...there are no words.
Ok so it may be a stretch to compare killing bugs with killing our fears but who cares? I’ve conquered a lot of fears this year, climbed a lot of mountains when I couldn’t see the top and I’ve still got a ways to go. We’re human and we will experience fear for the rest of our lives. What we choose to do with it though is up to us. Some fears are legitimate - like, falling out of an airplane, or what some call “skydiving”. No thanks! Some are irrational, like killing a spider. But when I get to flush it down the toilet or throw it in the trash, the feeling of confidence, authority and pride is unmistakable. Silly? Yes. But real. Take control of those fears and watch as they are obliterated.
Off to bed I go, but I will admit that I will probably check my covers twice before dozing...I’m human, remember?