Don’t Fear the Shadows

I wanted to share just a few thoughts that have been rattling around in my head over the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately, most of it has been very scrambled of late and I can’t seem to untangle the mess that is my brain!

Anyway, recently, we took a short road trip with the girls. We were all in need of a nice long drive, out of town, maybe down a dirt road or two, just to get away for a while.

After being in lockdown and lockout for a couple of weeks, we were feeling like the stress of the past year was all too much and we just needed to get away, feel the wind blow through our hair, the sun on our face and the road passing by swiftly underneath us as we enjoyed God’s beautiful creation.

And so, we took a trip down to Alice and back, and off the beaten track a little. Not very far, but enough that we could fit it in a few days and be back in time for work commitments etc.

Okay, so now onto the thoughts rattling around in my head.

Going on a road trip, I thought, would be so nice and so destressing and fun. But while we were away, I felt as if a shadow was hanging overhead the whole time. There always seemed to be little snippets of fear because of the current situation we find our world in today in relation to the Covid 19 pandemic and all it’s baggage.

Now, I’m not interested in going into an opinionated piece of writing on this subject. I just want to share a few thoughts.

While I was trying to enjoy the time away with the family, and the excitement of a new adventure, I kept finding myself underneath a shadow, trepidation, worry and fear. The what ifs kept whispering in my head. The worries about passing through towns and checking in and exposure sites and Covid tests and being put into isolation or being fined just wouldn’t go away. As fast as I tried to push the thoughts away, there they were, back again, as I opened up my news feed to check details and make sure we weren’t going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now, don’t get me wrong, we did enjoy our time away and we did have an adventure. (fossicking for hours in the hot sun during a heatwave, driving late into the night in an epic lightning storm, enjoying an awesome sunrise at the Devils Marbles etc).

The problem was my outlook. The problem was my thoughts. I was letting fear control me. I was letting the shadow overwhelm me.

When I got home, I began to evaluate the situation, and the feelings I had experienced. I realised that if I had just told fear to stay away, trusted in the Lord and focused on the beauty around me, I would have come home feeling a lot more rested.

This made me think of another shadow. The shadow of the cross. The Lord Jesus lived his life here on this earth with the shadow of the cross above him every day. He knew, being fully man and fully God, that death was to come to him in the form of a cruel cross. His hands and feet would be pierced, he would be beaten and spat on and mocked, and yet, he continued to do his Father’s will.

The shadow of the cross did not stop him from doing what God would have him do here on earth. He continued to preach, to teach, to heal, to love, to care, to share, to forgive. He didn’t let the shadow of death stop him from his life’s work.

He knew what was to come, and yet, he stayed the course. He was perfect in every way and obeyed his Father submissively and wholly.

Are we not to be followers of Christ and seek to do his will and obey in word and deed? Are we not to follow Christ’s example and try to become more and more like him as we grow in our spiritual walk?

Then why is it that we let the shadows in our life overwhelm us and stop us from doing his will? Why do we fear the darkness and let the shadows keep us from obeying?

Yes, the days are dark at present and there are shadows all around us and above us and sometimes we fear the light will be quenched at any moment, but God is still good, and he is still in control. We don’t need to live in fear. We can keep working while the light is dim. We can keep trusting, keep obeying and keep sharing the good news of the gospel with the lost world.

My fear of the shadow made what could have been a beautiful, relaxing time, turn into something not so lovely and so it is with our lives. If we let the shadows overwhelm us and if we let them stop our work for the Lord because we are fearful, then how will the lost world hear the good news? We are to be lights in this dark world.

Yes, it’s hard right now, with all the restrictions and mandates, but we shouldn’t let it stop us from our God-given ministries. We are to keep on until God tells us to stop. If God has called you to something, then stick with it. God will make a way. You may have to rearrange the way you do things, you may have to become more creative and get a new perspective, but God will bless your efforts if you just stay faithful to him.

We can’t just drop our tools and lay down in defeat, knowing that the Lord’s return is imminent. The disciples thought the end of the world was coming in their time, and yet they faithfully preached the word and kept on.

God expects us to keep being faithful. He wants us to keep preaching the word, sharing with others, teaching our Bible studies, running our Youth Groups and Sunday Schools, doing what he has called us to do, until he calls us home.

The race is not finished until the trumpet sounds, and we are caught up with him in the air!

So, don’t let the shadows keep you from being a light. Let the shadows encourage you to let your light shine brighter and brighter. Fan the flames and light up every corner of your world and your sphere of influence, so that those around you will be drawn to the Saviour through your testimony.

Let them see a fearless warrior that is not afraid of the storm or the darkness. Draw them out of the shadows and into the light. The glorious light of the gospel.

Don’t faint in the shadows. Keep on. Hold your head up, look to the Lord for help and trust him as you shine your light for others to see.

 

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing:

 for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

 

 

Don’t wait for a more convenient time.

 Now is the time!

Has reading your Bible and spending time in prayer and study on a daily basis become just too inconvenient?

“I just don’t feel like it today. I’m too tired to focus on anything right now. I’m too stressed. My brain is too overloaded with other matters. I’m just too busy. I haven’t even had 5 minutes to myself today.”

Do any of these excuses ring a bell? Have you ever found yourself having these thoughts or speaking them aloud to a friend? No? Well, I’m so happy for you and also somewhat amazed!

But for the rest of us, I’m ashamed to say, it happens more often than it should.

We have days where everything goes to plan. We wake early, before the children (if that’s the season of life you currently find yourself in), we spend time in God’s Word and in prayer, seeking his wisdom for the day. Then off we head into the busyness of our schedules, running here and there, crossing our little to-do lists off with great enthusiasm, then excitedly climbing into bed after a long day, we spend some time in prayer once again and drift off into a contented sleep and full of optimism for the day ahead being run just as smoothly as the one we just had.

Ok. Wake up! Stop daydreaming. Life is hard and the struggle is real. How often do our days go as planned?

I think that if you’re anything like me, you have days where you neglect that time spent in prayer, you skip reading your Bible as you have too much to do and feel as though the day ahead is too full to fit in even a mere 5 minutes of study. Then day follows day and before long the disconnection from God begins to slide down a slippery slope and the snowball grows and grows until the good habits you once had are all but dead and gone.

Rough patches in our lives are real. Busyness and overfilled schedules are a reality. Distractions stare us in the face every minute of every day and we begin to push God into the corner for a more convenient time. And over time, it begins to take a toll on our spirit, and our souls cry out for refreshing and renewal.

I’m so glad that our apathy toward God and the things of God does not affect his love for us. His love for us is not dependent upon our love for him. When we return to him, he is there waiting for us. He has not given up and left the room.

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

The Bible clearly tells us that if we return to the Lord, he will have mercy. He will turn unto us. He will be there for us.

Zechariah 1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

We are so full of excuses and if we just spoke them aloud and really listened to what we were saying, we’d be ashamed of their patheticness.

One of the excuses I’m ashamed to say that I used many times in the past, was that I didn’t have ‘quiet’.

As the girls were growing up, life was anything but quiet! As the sun peeked over the horizon, the day started with a triumphant shout and straight away the cares of the day began to press in. A baby needing to be fed, a toddler crying, dishes to wash, baking to be done, and pretty soon that much needed time alone with God was pushed aside as the distractions of life took over. There just wasn’t a convenient time.

I was always searching for that elusive 'piece of quiet' to sit and calmly take in what God wanted to say to me for that day.

But, over the years I have come to realise that it is God that supplies the quiet, we just need to supply the time. Let me say that again.

It is God that supplies the quiet, we just need to supply the time.

God doesn't expect us to come to Him with a quiet spirit in order to have a quiet time. He knows the kind of life we lead. He knows which season we’re in. He knows how busy we are.

We come to him with our cup overflowing with confusion, worries, troubles, disappointments, and He graciously and lovingly pours it out and fills our cup with His peace and love and joy. He knows that life is busy and sometimes we're overwhelmed with our to-do list. But if we would just stop for a moment, give God some of our precious time, He would bring the quiet that is needed into our hearts.

He longs for us to come alone into His presence and bring our cares to Him. The quietness comes from our relationship with Him and coming to Him as we let Him rearrange our thought processes. He calms the inner storms and brings His peace. The peace that only He can give.

2 Chronicles 15:4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

Sometimes we only have 5 minutes to give to Him, we pour out our cares and He pours in His peace. Other times, we have an hour to give to God and these times can be so refreshing.

When it all boils down, it really is a heart issue. Having a heart for God. Having a desire to spend time with him. Bringing our hearts in tune with God. Waiting on Him. Having an attitude of humbleness and meekness. In the middle of all the clamour, calling out to Him to bring His peace.

Jeremiah 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

As long as I desire to return to the Lord and to give him my time and my devotion, he will give me a heart for him.

I don’t always get my priorities in order. I don’t always let God plan my days. Sometimes I stubbornly go my own way, but God is always there when I return, as I humbly seek his forgiveness and ask him to give me a heart to know him.

And I find that the more time I spend with him, the more I get to know him and the more time I long to spend with him. The “I don’t feel like it moments”, become “I long to spend time with him moments”.

The more I get to know him, the more I love him, and the more time I want to spend in his Word, studying, learning, praying, meditating. It becomes something my soul craves and can’t do without. The day just feels all wrong when I don’t make that time.

So, I encourage you, young mother, busy working wife, happy grandmother keeping up with precious little ones, anyone in any season of life, make time for God. Pick up where you left off. Start again. Begin today. Just open your Bible and let God speak to you.

Don’t make excuses and push God into a corner for a more ‘convenient’ time. He longs for you to return to him. He wants you to desire time with him. Don’t get discouraged that you don’t have hours to read and study, be content if you only have 5 minutes, but make that 5 minutes count!

Make a conscious effort to make time for God, set aside a portion of your day to get alone with him, and he will bring the quiet. You will be blessed beyond measure when you put him first.

 

Lamentations 3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

James 4:8b Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.