This picture is our son, Ethan, during the summer when he was five. You can’t tell by the picture how high he is, but let this Mom tell you that my heart was racing. It was a little bit dangerous. But…I let him climb. And…I prayed. Since we lost Austin to something as mundane as strep throat, it is difficult to let Ethan be a boy. If I allow it, my mind and broken heart will run wild trying to create a safe “bubble” around the only child we have left.
I’ve been writing about how to pick yourself up when life throws you a sucker punch (this is the final part!) ~ and I’ve been using my “life verse” to explain how:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:4-7
So, hanging onto the promises and truth in these verses, I not only let Ethan climb the “Elephant Rocks,” I cheered him on! I did pray as he started climbing. I asked God to protect him and give him wisdom. Then I allowed the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, guard my heart and my mind.
Following Philippians 4:4-7, I am able to watch Ethan grow up with peace and joy in my heart. First, I praise God for Ethan (rejoice in the Lord!). I am so grateful to God for Ethan. I thank God every day for allowing me to be Ethan’s mom. I make my request known to God: protect my son. And I have been filled with a peace that doesn’t make any sense when I think about Austin. That, my friends, is the peace of God. Divine, unexplained peace.
I also ask God to “guard my heart and my mind.” If you’re anything like me, your mind can run away with you! I need God to guard my mind against all the fears and worries that could suck the joy out of raising a healthy, fearless boy into a confident, courageous man.
3 Ideas to Help You Choose Faith, Not Fear:
- Give ’em to God! We are usually most fearful about those we love. You need to acknowledge that those loved ones do not belong to you. They are not yours. They are God’s. Acknowledge that God loves your people more than you can imagine … and more than you. Yes, He does ~ because He’s God.
- Pray for peace beyond comprehension. I believe that the Bible contains God’s promises to us and that God keeps those promises. So, I choose to count on God’s peace as fact. I will be filled with divine peace, and I refuse to doubt it. Guess what? He hasn’t failed me yet! Try claiming God’s promises as fact. He won’t let you down.
- Ask God to guard your mind. Ask God to help you “stop replaying the tape” (only those of us who remember cassettes or VCR tapes can relate!) Take a stand against your mind running away with you and ask God to be in control of it. Ask God to keep your mind focused on Him, not on doubts, fears, or worries.
Let’s Talk About It:
Are you choosing faith, not fear? Tell us about it.
How do you set aside worry or fear? Give some practical ideas to help others.
Do you have a Bible verse to help you battle back the fear? Please share it!
**PS faithful readers: Mighty Monday almost became Tired Tuesday ~sorry for the delay in posting today ~ whew, I made it!