I thought I had gotten past the bug phobia. I don't mind big bugs. It's the teeny tiny hard-to-see ones (like fleas, ticks, lice, mites) that send ripples of terror through my heart and mind. I know. It sounds ridiculous, but it's true. This week proved
that Satan can still use these small things to put me into a tizzy, literally
freezing me in my tracks with fear. Fear is one of his favorite tactics.
I had a run-in with a bunch of deer ticks last week. Now
these critters are minuscule—barely the size of a pin point! Our area is
polluted with them. I ended up with more than a few tick bites from hauling old cardboard
from where it was stacked against a stone wall. Let’s just say I was a bit
paranoid after that!
So when our cat Watson bolted out the door after a stray cat in the
yard last night and ran full blast into the tall weeds and brush surrounding the
back of our house, I came to a screeching (literally) halt at the edge of the
woods. I could not set foot in that overgrown jungle where ticks thrive.
When we found him three hours later he was polluted with,
you guessed it, deer ticks. Thankfully he likes to be vacuumed. We ran the
cleaner over him thoroughly and then combed through his hair with a flea comb.
The whole time I was in a state of near panic. I was not very patient with
Watson and even yelled at Dick. Total meltdown. It was not a pretty picture.
How could I let fear take over like that? God’s Word says
God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2
Timothy 1:7) Satan had the upper hand and I definitely was not experiencing a “sound
mind”.
What I need when I am overcome by paralyzing fear, is someone to talk
me down from the precipice, to restore my perspective, and reassure me
that God is ultimately in control. I am so very thankful for a loving,
indulgent, supportive husband who puts up with my craziness during these times.
In truth though, I need to turn, not to Dick, but to Jesus,
even before those fear-filled situations occur. God’s Word can speak peace to
my anxious mind, help me see the situation against the backdrop of all of life
(not just that terrifying moment), and can give me example after example of God’s
control in the lives of His followers.
In a post on her blog Debbie McDaniel shares 33 verses on fear that are really helpful to
read often, commit to memory, and draw on in times when extreme anxiety slams
into us out of nowhere. I am going to “bookmark” that page and work on
reinforcing my armaments against future unreasonable fear.
Does fear and anxiety ever grab you by the throat? Are there
other areas of your life where you need reinforcements against the burning
arrows of the Enemy? Studying Scripture on that topic NOW can prove invaluable next
time your nemesis lurks around the corner.
Blessings!
Pam
©2016 Pamela D. Williams
