The Purple Monsters

It’s 2:30 a.m. – so why am I sitting at a computer, instead of dreamily sleeping in my bed?

I’m scared…well, not so much any more. I had a nightmare - the kind with big purple monsters who stick their heads out of the closet and scream, “Boo!” Actually, my dream was a little more graphic than that, but for the sake of the younger readers and my own unwillingness to “go there” again, purple monsters will work perfectly!

It’s no wonder I had a bad dream. I accidentally fell asleep between my 4 year old and my 10 year old…on a twin bed. Now, I don’t know how long it’s been since you have slept between two people on a twin bed, but let me assure you, it’s not conducive to a good night’s sleep. Needless to say, I woke up with my heart racing, my mind reeling, and my eyes trying to adjust to the light to make sure the purple monsters were just a figment of my imagination. Thankfully, I was right. It was just a dream, but the reality of the dream left me fearful.

I got up, tried to “shake it off,” and headed to the bathroom to wash my face. It was there that an old familiar “Friend” came to calm my nerves. When I am afraid, I will trust in You (Psalm 56:3). I memorized that Scripture several years ago, and it has brought me great comfort many times, especially in the wee hours of the morning.

As I quoted that verse to myself, the overwhelming feelings of my impending doom, stopped. My heartbeat returned to normal. My mind drifted back to reality, and my eyes stopped darting to and fro in search of purple monsters.

“When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

Interestingly enough, the Bible doesn’t say that we will never be afraid. Fear, in its purest form, is a good emotion. God put it within us to keep us safe – to keep us from leaping off three-story buildings, just because we are sporting a new Superman cape. We need to pay attention to our fear. It was designed to be a healthy thing. However, when that fear begins to consume us and affect our lives in a negative way, something that God has put in us for our own safety, actually becomes a threat to our well-being.

If it were up to me, I would bubble-wrap my kids, so I'd never have to worry about them falling off a swing or wrecking their bicycle. I'd buy my husband an armored vehicle, so I'd never have to be concerned about him being involved in an accident. I would systematically put padlocks and security devices all over my home, so I wouldn't have to think about unwanted invaders. But regardless of how much I tried to control the outcome of every area of my life, it just wouldn't work. I would never be able to control it all.

That's where a lot of our fear stems from. We know we can't control it all. We know bad things happen. The question is, as a Believer, how do we handle them when they do? What do we do when we find ourselves smack in the middle of an incredibly fearful situation and have no control over the outcome? What do we do with the purple monsters in the closet?

We trust.

We make a decision of our will that God is worthy of our complete allegiance, even when we’re fearful. We trust that God is able to deliver us, if He chooses to do so in a way other than what we'd like. We trust His love for us and His heart towards us. We trust that He knows what’s best…that He sees the entire picture, even when the purple monsters are so big they're bulging through the closet doors.

Tonight before writing this, I chose to trust my God. I chose to trust His love for me. I chose to trust His knowledge of the right paths for us to take together. I chose to trust His willingness to hold my hand, as I walk those paths…even though my heart is pounding and my palms are sweaty. I chose to trust He knows where He’s taking me and why. I chose to trust He has His glory and my best interest at heart, even if I can’t see it at the time. I chose to trust my God…for He is my Great Shepherd…and I am His sheep.

With that said – or written, as it is the case – good night, my friends. It's way passed my bedtime!

Dearest Father, help us not succumb to our fear, but conquer it through Your Word and our trust in You. Show us Your presence as we walk through difficult times…as we wonder why we’re on the path that You have placed before us. And help us to remember that You and You alone know what’s best for us…even in the scary stuff. We trust You, Father. We trust You.