5:15am
I wake in bed in a deep panic. I have to go to the bathroom and I'm terrified, sensing someone or something is trying to hurt me and go into protection mode. Well...kinda.
Depending on the dream I had, it's safe to say that I'm either fearing that somehow zombies or aliens are in the house, or an opponent bigger than my self is going to burst through at any moment and try and harm my wife.
There are two main reasons why I say kinda: 1. I some how realize that I've been 'incepted' and what I'm feeling is the result of a dream 2, I am terrified of aliens and zombies.
I know it's silly, but it's true.
How many alien attacks occur around lunch time? How many zombie outbreaks happen while we are making our commute to a gun store? It's always at night that the freakiest things happen.
I know what you're thinking: these things have never happened, it's all sy-fy jargon. Yes you are correct.
But the response I have to them in this moment is real. Sometimes I'm so afraid of this perceived reality that I don't do one of the most natural things known to man. "potty".I'm so afraid of something happening that a number one becomes a number never.
When I finally get over it, its too late to go back to bed. I usually just lay there, frustrated. This frustration spirals out of control and bleeds into my whole day, effectively rendering my Wednesday the new Monday.
And it's funny because for a large part, this is how I let the enemy dictate my actions. Fear is a powerful, instant motivator. The enemy loves fear. But peace is stronger. God moves in peace. Peace is also long lasting. Eventually fears become obsolete when a newer bigger fear comes to trump it.
The enemy knows this. And as long as we acquiesce to these little fears, we miss out on the big peace God offers us. It's this peace that leads us, gives us confidence and assurance, guides us in the midst of fear.
Fear says "there is no one else but me"
Peace says "there is fear, but don't worry, I'm Stronger"
Fear says "You are alone"
Peace says "I am with you"
Fear says "You will never be anything"
Peace says "You are everything to me"
The longer we hold on to fear, the longer we run from the peace that God gives. His peace is the conduit to accepting the rest of who He is. Where in our lives are we living out of fear, and where does God wish to speak His peace?
