Checking the clock, I rush through the living room, turn off every light in the house, and gather all of the items I need to get out the door. I wonder why I can never seem to be early for anything?! Tripping over the dog, I reach for my sweater and…poof!…it’s gone. Vanished into thin air. I clearly remember laying it on the back of the couch for an easy grab on my way out, but now it’s gone. Seriously?!
So I drop my laptop case, my purse, and my lunch bag in front of the door; turn the lights back on; and I begin to scrounge around behind the couch. Nope. No sweater. I stuff my oversized hand in the undersized cracks and find nothing. Knowing it’s crazy, I actually lift up the couch and peer into the nether-realm beneath—where no man dares to tread. Dust bunnies, a pencil, an old troll guarding the gate (I made that last one up), but no sweater. As I sit there on the floor, the dog looks at me quizzically, convinced I’m here to play. I’m really not in any mood for the face-licking that is about to…ugh! Gross! There goes my make-up!
Frustrated, running late, and covered in dog slobber, I mentally retrace my steps, KNOWING that my sweater can’t be anywhere else. I can see in my mind’s eye where it was JUST lying on the back of the couch. I can visualize myself placing it there and I remember thinking what a great place that was to leave it. Aiming an exasperated breath upward to remove the hair that has fallen into my eyes, I can feel the irritation climbing up, out of my throat, and proceeding forth from my mouth. I complain how nothing is ever where it’s supposed to be and why can’t anyone just put things where they belong?!
And then, it hits me. I’ve lost something far more important than my sweater. I’ve lost my shoes! No, not the flats that match my now dog-hair-laden outfit. I’ve lost my shoes of peace—a much more important part of my ensemble than that silly ‘ol sweater!
In my morning rush, I ran around and relied upon my own strength—and, worse…my own premenopausal memory (yikes!). The truth of the matter is, I allowed myself to take my eyes off of God. What I should have done was to stop IMMEDIATELY and pray. The moment I felt my heart begin to speed up, my mind begin to race, and my face begin to do “that thing” it does when I’m irritated…I should have stopped and put my shoes of peace back on, because, the longer I go barefooted, the more calloused I get!
I forgot that Ephesians 6 tells me that my struggle isn’t against flesh and blood, as I blamed my lost sweater on members of my family who weren’t even home at the time. I had to remind myself that all this unrest I was feeling was just a scheme of the devil, and I needed recognize it as such and put him in his place!
A lot of people just write these kinds of things off as minor, everyday frustrations. It’s normal…par for the course. Well, not to get all super-spiritual on you, but it’s these little things that Satan uses to get a foothold in our hearts; left unchecked, footholds easily become strongholds. If Satan can warp my attitude and keep me frustrated, I won’t be able to walk in the fullness that God has planned for me. What if someone I passed by on my way to work needed prayer and they saw how “beautifully approachable” I look when I’m angry? I doubt they would want anything to do with me or the God I’m supposed to represent.
So my encouragement for you today is, even in the midst of a near meltdown, you can reclaim the power of God as you remember He is with you. He has given you all you need to be able to recover from everything—from minor irritations to full-blown attacks. By His Word, God has bestowed upon you a double-edged sword that will help you fend off the devil and reclaim your peace of mind. It’s just a matter of stopping, the moment you recognize what is going on, and saying, “Oh no, you foul Devil. Not this time. Jehovah Shalom is on the scene!”
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. – Colossians 3:15
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. – 1 Peter 3:10–11
So what about the sweater? When I finally calmed down and prayed, God showed me that I had moved it to the kitchen, near the ironing board, when I was pressing my pants. Feeling rather sheepish, I put the sweater on, then I apologized and thanked Him for His goodness!
*still a work in progress!*
220 Gal 