Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Eradicating Shadow Monsters


Fill This Place ~ Red Rocks Worship

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ John 1:5 ESV

Perspective: what you see and know.

On March 17, 2015, Brad received the first of two failed spinal injections. Following were spinal surgery, infection, and a month of daily IV antibiotics at a clinic 30-minutes away, all with our two toddlers in tow. My perspective was overwhelmed, at best.

By the end of the day, yesterday, March 17, 2020, I was exhausted. A team of us helped teachers prepare families to do schoolwork from home for at least three weeks. The unknown and what ifs are the scariest part, like a shadow monster in a child’s bedroom.

Consider it: alone in her room, a child watches as the shadow monster emerges. Not knowing what it will do to her, she cries. Dad comes in and turns on the light, eliminating the monster. Then, Dad turns off the light. While the child sees only the monster, Dad sees and begins to reveal the truth. One part of the shadow is from the lamp shade, another part is from a coat hanging on the bed post, and the last part is from a tree branch outside. Once the shadows are picked apart and the fear subsides, the child can sleep in peace.

Perspective is so much of our reality. In 2015, my outlook was bleak. But looking back, I see how God was strengthening us, drawing us ever closer to Himself. We learned to lean in and listen much more carefully. We also learned that God was truly our only Source and would, in fact, provide all we needed.

Today, my prayer is that God would pick apart the shadow monster, eliminating our fears in His light. Remember, He’s with us, holding our hands, and giving us what we need as He walks us through this season.
©Heather Potts 2020

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