June 25

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening" Acts 16:25

I have an 80 lbs black lab that is afraid of the hair dryer. Every time I blow dry my hair, she runs to the furthest corner of the house, and sits there in panic. I'm slightly annoyed by her behavior. I can't understand, how could she be so afraid, of something as trivial as a hair dryer. I wish she could relax, and trust, that I won't let anything bad happen to her. Why can't she get it?

Reflecting on my own life, I have to say, that sometimes I react very similarly to my black lab. Recently, I went through a tough situation with my parents. They were both very sick and I'm very far away, not able to help. Even though I knew that God is good, that I needed to trust, I gave in to fear. I tried to fix and control the situation by calling almost every hour, and trying to force solutions. I was in a state of worry and fear. The situation became like a black hole that swallowed everything around me. I was so engulfed in the problem, that everything else was secondary, including God. After a week of playing God, I was completely exhausted and totally depleted emotionally. Things were getting worse in spite of my best efforts.

Acts 16:25 reminds me, that there is a different way to do things. When faced either, with a Red Sea situation or a " blow dryer" situation, we are to run to the Lord, in prayer and worship.  I can only imagine how exhausted and beaten up, Paul and Silas were. Instead of dwelling in self pity or anger, they choose to run to the Lord. They didn't sit around trying to control or force a solution. They trusted the Lord. Prayer should never be a Plan B, but the very first thing we do. We need to trust that God is good and He has our best interest in mind. (Jeremiah 29:11). Only by trusting God we can experience the "peace that transcends all understanding". (Philippians 4:7).

In today's day we are bombarded with so many options. Wherever we go, we face a multitude of choices. However, I think it all comes down to one choice. Am I choosing God, the One, who came so that we "have life, and have it to the full" or the one, who came only to "steal and kill and destroy". (John 10:10).  Our true safety is in God, "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance"( Psalm 32:7). Everything else that promises security, is an illusion, a lie…

Lord, you are my safety net! Help us to trust you and follow you!