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.