Mommy, I’m scared!
I woke up to those dreaded words in the wee hours of the morning somewhere between dreams. My incoherent mommy brain couldn’t really figure out what was going on.
All I knew was that one minute I was sound asleep, and the next, my little boy stood in tears over my face.
Instead of asking for details, I opened up the covers, snagged my little one, and tucked him in close to me.
I knew if I asked what he was afraid of, I would hear the long, drawn-out details of his bad dream. (Not that I didn’t want to know, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to comprehend it in the stupor of my interrupted sleep.)
Gently, I stroked his little head and shushed him.
I distinctly remember saying,
“Don’t be afraid. Nothing is wrong. God is always with you!”
Savvy mommy advice, I suppose! Direct and to the point! Though I was doubtful he would go back to sleep.
As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I heard my little guy repeating my words to himself.
“Don’t be afraid. Nothing is wrong. God is always with me.”
It was then that I woke to full consciousness. I listened closely as he repeated them several times before drifting peacefully back to sleep.
There he was, in the middle of his fears, preaching to himself.
My little boy knew that in order to quiet his heart and settle his spirit down, he needed to remind himself of the truth.
Jerry Bridges said,
“Preach the gospel to yourself everyday.”
My friend, we need constant reminders that God is in control of our lives. That we don’t need to be afraid, and that He holds the details of our very being in His hands.
Have you been troubled this week? Are you struggling to remember that God is in control? Have you been spending quiet time with God?
Preach the gospel to yourself.
Psalm 42:5 says,
“Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation.”
God sees you. He hears you. He loves you, and He cares.
You can’t trust God unless you know Him.
And you can’t know Him unless you spend time with Him.
When those trying times come (we all know they will) and, like my little boy, you encounter the fears of life come hurtling at you, you will be surefooted as a result of spending time with God.
I encourage you this week to take time out of your busy schedule to get into the Word and meditate on who God is.
May you be blessed as you grow your faith!
