The Jungle
Last night I stayed up late writing. It was so fun remembering moments and re-reading lessons that God had been teaching me. Morning was a great time for a test to see if I would apply what I was writing about.
It didn’t start off to well. I was tired, so I slept in skipping my workout for an extra hour of sleep. Or at least that’s what I was hoping to get. Tracy’s alarm went off and he hit the snooze button……over and over for an hour! So needless to say I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and with an attitude. It wouldn’t be much of a test if the conditions were perfect, right.
As I sat down for my quiet time it was anything but that. My mind raced with frustration and in the midst of all that I kept hearing the words, “Be Still.” I would try for a few moments but then I thought of what I should be doing, the workout I missed and then I just stewed about things that irritate me and how I should say something. You know really speak my mind and then it would be all better.
I continued to rehearse the words I would say and I could feel the tension building and at the same time I would hear, “Be Still.” Every time I heard those words my soul would have a moment of peace. Tears started as the battle in my mind continued.
Then my phone chirped and I receive a text message from my sweet friend Ruby. She was commenting on a post I had written about truth. She mentioned how I had used self control in my response to a hard truth I had received and that she didn’t know if she would have responded the same way in that situation.
I was so touched by the timely response and at the same moment convicted for my current attitude. I felt like such a hypocrite. I wasn’t using much self control at the moment and needed the reminder. What a gift my sweet Ruby’s message was! Thank you Lord for Ruby!
Then as I continued my quite time I decided to truly “Be Still” I watched the tree sway in the breeze outside my window and stared at the clouds as they went by. It was peaceful and calming. I was not thinking about retaliation, what to say or anything else – just being still.
Awhile later my phone chirped again and this time it was a message sent by Proverbs 31 Ministries with a video attached. It was about “Unrushing” and was about 45 minutes long which was exactly the amount of time I had before I needed to leave for work. I heard, “watch it.” God is so good! It was exactly about how I had been feeling and was such a timely message. I know it was God helping me and directing me.
As my day progressed thoughts from the video and the blog message I had written the night before continued to run through my head. I had been giving up ground to a snake! My enemy had been taking space in my life and feeding my desire to justify my bad attitude by repeating past disappointments so I would fuel the fire of self pity. Yes, he is crafty.
But God intervened with timely words from a loving friend and a video sharing His word for me. The video had mentioned a bible study that I had read over a year before that began my “You Matter” project. There is no better way to get over self pity than to do something for someone else. To do that I have to take my eyes of myself so I can see them. He was telling me to refocus!
In the Disney cartoon Jungle Book, Mowgli wants his own way and ends up in a tree being hypnotized by a snake. He was lured in by his thoughts and desires and the snake slowly wrapped around him and held him captive. Bagheera, the wise panther intervened and Mowgli was able to take his eyes off the snake, saw his craftiness and was able to get away from him. That’s how I felt at that moment.
I am in awe of how wonderful my God is. That He would orchestrate text messages, videos and loving reminders to rescue me from the enemy of my soul. Thank you Lord for the reminder to “Be still and know that You are God!” You reminded me that I matter to you, please help me to go out and remind others that they matter to You too!
My prayer
Father, You are to wonderful for words. The creative ways that You show me that You are near and that You care are endless. Please forgive me for allowing the enemy to lure me in with my own selfish desires. Help me to refocus on You and to see others who need to know that they matter. This world can feel like a jungle and yet even in the jungle You provide peace and calmness. Help me to Be still and remember that You are God. Amen
Where does my help come from?
Psalm 46:10
“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
James 1: 13-15
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”