“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
1 Peter 5:6-10
I was on a run yesterday morning, praying and thinking.
As I entered a part of the trail where the woods close all around me, I started feeling little thuds on my neck and arms.
Suddenly, I realized that I was being swarmed by horseflies. Not to mention, there had also been giant red and black wasps slowly and aimlessly hovering down and around me every so often that I had previously been dodging and weaving. Now, the crackling of merciless horsefly wings next to my ears and their persistent divebombing had reached a boiling point. I had to engage.
Up to this point on my run, I had completed almost 4 miles with 4 miles to go–it’s an outback. So, here I was, determined to keep pesky horseflies from having their way on any part of my body. And so, I began my swat, flail, and popping strategy to keep them at bay. There I was, just a run’n, slinging arms around my head, back, and legs. I’m sure it was a sight to see.
Nevertheless, the little buzzers stayed at their task–trying to light on their enthusiastic runner. Quickly, I realized that my energy would soon deplete at this rate, and I recognized that my strategy was doing more harm than good. All that work…little pay.
Finally, as I approached the end of the wooded part of the trail, which opened up to the sky, a dove flew up from the bushes. With the briskly blowing air and open skies, the horseflies were gone. Peace.
This experience reminded me of a few things about life:
- Sometimes, the sky becomes hidden, the air stands still, and pesky circumstances arrive.
- As difficult as these challenging seasons are, they don’t last forever and help build our faith in our Lord.
- Therefore, stay hopeful, faithful, and optimistic.
I changed my strategy when I turned back and started heading through the wooded horsefly gauntlet tunnel. Oh yes, the horseflies expectantly returned as if to welcome their prey into their domain; however, this time, I was less bothered by them. I hadn’t been bitten by them up to this point; I was just annoyed. And so, I decided to conserve my energy and let them have more freedom. I swatted strategically when feeling one land on my arm or back. I was less clunky the second time through the tunnel of trouble.
Ultimately, I conserved my energy, finished my run focused, and prepared for the day.
Are you feeling the sting of circumstances…the weight of discouragement? Feeling like your energy is depleting?
Let me offer some encouragement:
- Christ faced an obscured sky, desolate air, and violent circumstances without relief.
- He died on the cross having been rejected, betrayed, abandoned, mocked, scourged, misrepresented, falsely accused, and more to resolve the separation caused by our sin.
- After atoning for sin, He was resurrected and seated at the right hand of God, so that He might walk with us through our tunnels of trouble and pathways of persnickety to give us true and lasting peace. His answer to our sin solves our greatest problems and enables us to rightly see the problems we face as growing us in grace, teaching us His care, and finding that the troubles in this life–riddled with sin–don’t have the final say.
Reflect and remember His faithfulness to cultivate trust in His sufficiency for your moment today!
We press on!
— July 17, 2024