When I was a little girl, I used to have the same nightmare over and over. Actually, there were a couple of nightmares, but once my sister's extra large Raggedy-Ann beat up the witch that kept invading my room, that particular nightmare stopped!
The other nightmare was more terrifying to me, because it was more real in nature. I would dream that I awakened in the middle of the night and had to go to the bathroom. It was just a few steps outside my doorway, so it shouldn't have been a big deal. However, my fear of what lay ahead, always made it feel as if that room were a mile away.
In my dream, I would grope my way to the bathroom, close the door and switch on the light...nothing. I would turn it off and on a couple more times, tension building in my body and mind with each click of the switch. Determining that the bulb was burned out, I would grope my way along the wall to the lights of the vanity. Again, I would switch on those lights, and nothing would happen. By this time, my heart would be pounding through my chest wall. My breathing would have deepened into almost a panic, and I would frantically turn around to grope for the bathroom door handle. And as you can imagine in a nightmare, the knob wouldn't turn. I was locked in the darkness, even though the lock was on the inside.
Usually at this point, I would be startled awake by something in my dream touching my shoulder, and I would beg God for the daylight to come. Oh, what a relief it was when the light of the sun would peek its way through my bedroom window.
I'm so glad that I don't have that nightmare any longer, but sometimes, I still find myself afraid. I'm afraid of the unknown, afraid of what people think, afraid of something happening to my family, afraid of not being good enough. And if I let myself go there - if I let myself dwell on what I do not know or what I perceive to be true, then I find myself back in my nightmare. I get trapped by my own thoughts, living in response to what I fear in the dark, instead of what is reality in my life.
You see, God's already taken care of the darkness. I have nothing to fear - NOTHING to fear, for: "you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (I Pet. 2:9-10).
Because of Christ, I am no longer in the dark, no matter how life may try to convince me that I am still there...that I am still stuck. Instead, I am in a glorious place - a place that is full of light and purpose and meaning - a place where darkness no longer exists or has control over my emotional, spiritual or physical being. In reality, I exist in His light, for His purpose, for His pleasure and praise - no matter what the fears ofares in my life may try to force upon me.
How should this affect me? Well, when those abnormal things do happen, when the scary things rear themselves and touch my shoulder in the night - I DO NOT HAVE TO FEAR. God is my God, and I am His child. He has complete control of everything in my life, whether I think He does or not. He sees the abnormalities as opportunities for His name to be exalted in my life, and it's my responsibility and privilege to make sure that happens, by dispelling the darkness with Truth...fear with faith.
So today, when things hit you head on...when you feel like you are stuck in a nightmare that will never end - remember. Remember that no matter how dark it seems, you are really in the light. God is with you and is using you in the midst of your struggle. He is guiding your eyes and your hands to glorify Himself. In Truth, you are walking in LIGHT, my friend. You are walking in Light - and don't let anything or anyone try to convince you differently.
Thank You, Jesus that I am Your child...I am Your chosen one who no longer has to live in darkness and be fearful of what exists there. Instead, I can choose to live in the Truth...in Your light. Thank You, Lord. I praise You in the light.
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