I have lived in the country for most of my life. So you would think that by now I wouldn’t freak out every time I see a snake. But, I can’t help myself. Seeing their bodies slither on the ground or in the grass really elevates my heart rate. Now, please don’t feel bad for me. I am not some damsel in distress, incapable of protecting myself in the outdoors. When I see a snake, I don’t let fear cripple me. I quickly grab a shovel and send the snake to “meet Jesus.” But, every once in a while, a snake escapes too quickly, and I am unable to dispose of it properly. That is what happened to me just a couple of weeks ago.
This situation really leaves me uneasy. Snakes tend to stick around the same area. In fact, my son saw this same snake sunbathing on the patio a few days ago. This means that it will likely return again, but we don’t know exactly when. So now we wait, keeping the shovel close by.
Why am I sharing this story with all of you and alienating all my animal-loving readers? Simply to show you how silly it is to worry over something that might happen, especially when we have all the tools available to deal with it.
All too often in life, we allow the anticipation of something to get a hold over us. We dwell on it until it consumes us. We lose sight of our source of strength and allow anxiety to fill our hearts. The worst part about all this is that we fail to keep our spiritual tools close by. What tools are these?
The first tool we have is the word of God. We need to remember that the scriptures are as powerful in our mouth as they were in Jesus’ mouth. We can boldly speak these truths over any situation and trust that these words have power. We need not fear.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
Our second tool is staying connected to God. Praying during seasons of calm will prepare us for any storm that comes our way. Prayer time with Jesus cannot be replaced with anything else. He prepares us for the battle. So as we wait, we can wait in peace knowing that He is faithful.
Our last tool is to rely on fellow believers to stand in agreement with us. They help us fight the battles that come our way. There is power in agreement.
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. – Matthew 18:20
The devil, like a snake, will try to catch you off guard. He enjoys watching you worry about when he will appear next. Don’t allow anxiety to cripple you. Start preparing so that you may stop him in his path. Ladies, it’s time to get your shovel out!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:oo p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $30 if purchased before August 15th and $35 after that. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.
For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/