What if?
Recently, I experienced a series of crazy dreams. My wallet had fallen in a storm drain. I could see it, but I couldn't reach my wallet. I just knew I would never get it back. What if I never retrieved my wallet? Next, I lost my son's birthday present on a ship. I just knew someone had taken it. What if I never found the present?
The next night, a bee keeper held a hive right above my head, and instructed me to be very still. I just knew one bee would escape and sting the bottom of my foot. That happened to me once and caused an indescribable amount of pain. What if it happened again? After I fled safely from the bees, I attempted to take my husband's clothes to the dry cleaners before they closed. As I carried the basket of clothes to the car, lightning struck my house! I just knew I wouldn't make it to the cleaners if I had to stop and call 911! What if while trying to make it to the cleaners my house burned to the ground? Each morning, I woke up and had to do a mental "check-check." My wallet was in my purse. My son's birthday passed, and I had no evidence of bee stings. I just got out of my bed, so the house did not burn down. The dry cleaning basket was empty. Perhaps the bees carried it all away!
We all have these moments. I just know that ________ will happen. What if ________ does happen? Recently, I finished the book Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado. A large portion of the book focuses on the harsh ways that worry weighs us down. Indeed the I just know and What if moments leave us exhausted, breathless and hopeless. Time after time, this thinking process takes away our peace. It is only with God's grace, His mercy and His word that we can begin to escape this vicious mental cycle. Approximately one year ago, the college application process for my high school senior was complete. Despite the wide variety of schools to which she applied, I just knew she would choose a college far from home. Oh Lord, what if she did choose a college far from home?
Today, what is your deepest fear? I believe it is God's greatest desire for us to view our fears through the lenses of scripture. 2 Corinthians 10:5 instructs us to "capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ." I love Max Lucado's command: "Before you call your mom, spouse, neighbor or friend, call on God. Invite him to speak to the problem." I am practicing this in my daily life. It is a mindful exercise in retraining how one thinks and what he/she chooses to think about. The process consists of three steps. First, one must acknowledge the fearful thought. To acknowledge our fears, we have to be still. Second, imagine capturing the thought. Finally, without hesitation, release that fear to God. I have always loved the visual imagery my sweet momma gave me long ago. "Try to have a mental picture of packing all of that fear in a box, laying the box at His feet and asking God to carry it for you."
As I write, I am sitting on an airplane bound for Atlanta, Georgia. From there, I will make the beautiful drive to Auburn, Alabama. This is a big weekend for my college freshman as families celebrate their students' involvements in the Wesley Foundation, a United Methodist campus ministry. One year later, Auburn University is my daughter's second home. Her journey has been a challenging one, filled with both valley and mountaintop moments. Her journey has been a blessed one. Most importantly, her journey has been a glorious one, guided by Christ's radiant light.
Think about that fearful topic that continues to wake you up in the middle of the night...the one that makes you feel like you are riding on a runaway roller coaster with no seat belt or handle bar. Be still, and recognize the fear. Capture the fearful thought. Release that fear to God. I just know God will carry you through this. What if you choose to trust him?
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