I knew the minute the doorknob wouldn’t turn that I was in
big trouble.
You see, my then 1 ½ year
old son had locked me out of the house completely. I was stranded in our garage with no cell
phone or keys and apparently no common sense.
I was ready to kick down that door!
I was going to save my toddler! I heard him through the door and I kept
calling out to him tapping the door fervently and saying “Sammy, can you turn
the lock? Sammy, its mommy please unlock
the door”. I heard mumbles and shuffling
and the door wiggled but the door remained locked.
I did what any normal mother would do and ran
to my neighbor’s house screaming! My
sweet neighbor was able to move a screen, slide the window and slip into my
house in less than 10 minutes. Why didn’t
I think of that? I saw my sweet boys
face as he held his sippy cup and innocently said “Hi mama”. I knew then that everything was alright with
the world.
Why was I so panicked? Why is
it that every single bad scenario played through my mind and I visualized my
toddler going into the kitchen and just taking out all the sharp things. Why was my mind going there so quickly? What seemed like an entire hour of my sweet
toddler being alone in the house simply lasted about 20 minutes maybe even less! Why did I let fear block my thinking
capabilities? If I would have remained
calm, I would have remembered that my guest bedroom window was probably opened
and if it wasn’t we usually didn’t lock the windows anyway. I could have slid the screen and climbed
through the window but instead I pounded at the door in fear and in desperation
and then in just pure unashamedly insanity.
Who does that? Apparently I do!
Are we facing our fears calmly knowing that our heavenly
father is giving us a solution and a way out? Or are we frantically trying to
go up against them with no real plan pounding on all the wrong closed
doors?
The Bible says in Philippians
4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Does that mean that I didn’t pray on that day when Sam
locked me out of the house? Of course not!
I sure did pray but it was more of the begging kind like “please, please
God have him open this door”. I did not
stop long enough to listen to God’s answer, perhaps if I would have I would
have stayed calm enough to find the solution.
I was thankful that nothing happened to my sweet boy and thankful that
my neighbor was home and was able to help me come up with a solution for
getting into my house. I am so thankful
that I am not left alone to my own devices and that in time of worry I can look
to my creator who gives me the strength and wisdom to overcome difficulties.
What do you need to overcome today? Have you stopped worrying long enough to hear
God give you the solution or answer?
Lord I know there will be plenty more times when we will
panic and react in a way that may not be pleasing to you. Please help us to remember that you listen to
our prayers and provide solutions so long as we take the time to trust in
you. Father give us the ears to hear
from you and the wisdom to wait on you.
Amen
