What is your Bogeyman?

At nighttime, do you leave a tiny light on for a little bit of security? Do you have a favorite blanket or teddy bear that makes you feel safe? Are you afraid of getting COVID-19 or worse diseases? From my earliest years, I remember having a bad dream that resulted in some of my family members dying in a car accident. The dream was so real, I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart was racing, and I had to talk to myself down for quite some time to remind myself it was ONLY a dream.

While we know each one of us has an appointment with death at the end of our lives, our culture seems so enamored with showing death and destruction on television. Many of the blockbuster movies show the world ending, aliens coming to destroy us, or a crazed lunatic who hurts others.

For Christians, should the focus be on our death, or our lives? If we have secured our place in heaven as Christians by asking God into our hearts and deciding to live for him, then our focus should become how we should live for him while we are here. The reality is, we know that we may not have tomorrow, but the choices we make about our activities tomorrow should not be based on merit we receive from God, but from how we can bring unbelievers closer to him while we are here.

God does not promise our lives will be easy. But he does promise he will be with us through the storms. In II Thessalonians 3:3-5 (NIV), But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing, and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perserverence.

Additionally, we are told in Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV), Be strong and courageous. Do not be araid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

The enemy will use tools such as fear to stifle our confidence in God, and to distract us from what God has called us to do. People who struggle with fear often have anxiety. Fear can diminish the quality of our lives and keep us from showing love to others. I can attest to this personally, because there was a time in my life I was feeling anxious about something, and I was so self-absorbed in my own problem, I was not thinking about others in my life. Looking back, I realize I had difficulty showing love to others during this time in my life.

Sometimes we live in fear of things we cannot control, our children driving by themselves without us, a loved one with an illness, a job loss that doesn’t seem to make sense. It is not a sin to feel fearful or anxious, but how we react to our emotions can lead us to sin. When we feel fear, anxiety, or other strong emotions, it is an opportunity to turn towards God and trust him. We can go to his word, find passages that will fill us up, and pray to remind us of his unconditional love for us. May we remember to go to God our Father when we are worried or afraid, because he will be our protector and comforter.

Blessings Sweet Friends,

Stacy