Thursday

Nightmares and the Presence of God

I'd hear the scream first, then the sound of her feet racing toward my bedroom. Almost every night for a week my 3-year-old daughter had awakened screaming from a nightmare. 

She'd race across the hall to our bedroom and fling herself upon me with eyes wide with terror and heart beating out of her chest. It was a trying time.

To keep the disturbance to a minimum, I'd gather her up in my arms and carry her back to her bedroom. We'd check under the bed and inside the closet to be sure they were monster-free, then I'd lie down beside her and soothe her back to sleep. 

We memorized Psalm 56:3, "When I am afraid, I will trust in you," and I'd hear her whispering it to herself as she drifted off.

I was careful to lie with some distance between us so I could leave without disturbing her, but occasionally I would feel her hand creep across the space that separated us in the dark. She would touch me lightly, then pull her hand back with a relieved sigh. Although she knew I was lying beside her, sometimes she needed an extra touch to remind herself I was there.

Prayer is like that for me.

When life is dark and frightening, and monsters seem to lurk everywhere, sometimes I need extra reassurance that God has not abandoned me. And though I can't reach my hand out and touch him in the dark, I can reach out to him in prayer and hear his Spirit say, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). It is sweet comfort to know he is there beside me to keep the darkness at bay and to bid the monsters flee.

When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

 
Is there an area in your life where darkness threatens and monsters seem to lurk? I encourage you to join me in reaching out to touch God through prayer. Invite his presence to chase your fears away.




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6 comments:

  1. Great post, Lori. So good to remember when darkness invades our space.

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    1. Thanks, Buffy. I'm glad we don't worship an impersonal God, aren't you?

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  2. Hi, Lori! We missed you today. :) I blogged this post on PCWN.blogspot. I plan to do this for all our writers - at least one a week.

    Hope you had a great day!

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  3. Thanks so much, Linnette! It's a treat to actually be spending the weekend with the same little girl (now all grown up) who inspired that post. Williamsburg is so much fun when shared with another history lover. :)

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  4. Thanks for writing this. It applies to my life right now. God knows just what I need to see and hear to not lose heart.

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    Replies
    1. He does, sweet friend, and if you look for him every day, in every situation, you'll find him there. I prayed for you today.

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