Laura, two cats, midnight and an empty house. Sounds like it could potentially be a new best seller for a thriller novel, huh? You're probably thinking no, but I had the joy of experiencing this fine scenario the past few nights. This past week I have been house and cat sitting for a family from church. Despite my lack of love for cats I eagerly took on the position and was so grateful for it. I was so excited to serve them in whatever way I could and it also worked out being close to my work so I could save some gas money.
So a few days before they left on vacation I get the run down and feel very comfortable with the whole situation. Saturday night rolls around, my first night sleeping over at this house. I started driving over to the house and for whatever reason started to get a little anxious. I am sure any girl can relate to the thoughts running through my head...what if someone breaks in? Are all the doors locked? What was that noise? I am a single young woman, that's scary enough but now I am all alone in this house! And then to add to these already daunting thoughts entered in my strong dislike of cats and their love of sleeping in the bed, prowling at night, and pooping in times of change. By the time I was in the house, triple checked all of the doors, and laying in bed with a cat unwilling to move over a foot I was consumed with fear and crippled by the power of the thoughts in my head. However, I quickly ended up falling asleep and while it definitely was not the greatest night of sleep I have ever gotten I managed to get some rest.
Well then my friends, night two rolls around. Not enjoying my first night too much I was definitely not looking forward to a second night. I had psyched myself out so much the night before I was already anxious about sleeping there again before I even left work. I got so worked up over it, I had several alternative plans in the running just to avoid spending another night in fear. I contemplated going home and just spending the extra money on gas, Jake asked his parents if I could sleepover, and our good friend Tyler and his mom opened their couch to me at 11:30pm. Among all of this generosity and hospitality I was shown, I decided I just needed to toughen up and be thankful for this opportunity I was given.
I made it over to the house and was once again laying in bed wide awake a little very freaked out. I decided to call Morgan knowing she would appreciate the irony of this situation, I would probably get a little comedic relief from her husband, and they would be prayer warriors for me in my time of fear. So I did and had them rallied around me in prayer and humor of the whole situation. In the quiet moments afterwards I realized something about myself. I had gone to every possible length to be physically safe...finding other options for sleeping, checking every locked door three times, and talking to Morgan to calm my anxious heart. Yet what was I missing? The Lord. I lay there after exhausting all other options and realizing that my last option was God, the source of all comfort and peace. Instead of running and clinging to him first I put him dead last. And it wasn't till that very quiet moment of no other possibilities to find comfort in that I humbled myself before the Father and rest assured in his security.
In such a busy and loud world we live with so many distractions pulling for our attention from all angles. Yet in those moments of pure quiet and stillness are we running to Jesus or trying to fill them with more loudness and distractions from the one who created us in His very image? Looking back on this whole situation makes me smile. From Tyler offering his couch to sleep on, to Morgan sympathizing with our similar dislike in cats, and Jake with his comforting words, there were so many people involved with such an unrealistic fear yet I was missing the Lord's comfort and guidance all along to reassure me that yes Laura you will be just fine and if you're not that is in my plan.
I encourage you to search your life and pick up on situations that you are looking to everything else possible except for God. Maybe this is intentional. Maybe you are scared to truly follow our Father's direction and live into His comfort. Or maybe you're like me and are just too busy and people focused and have lost touch with His genuine security and peace. Either way, my prayer is that this would be recognized and times of silence and potential fear may be filled with assurance and dependence in the Lord our God alone.
And in case you are wondering, yes I am sleeping over there again before they come home from vacation, this time fully trusting in the Lord for my comfort and peace :)Labels: a day in the life, faith, friendship, God, Peace
