Giants and Mice

Last week my husband was out of town. Having been an army wife, I’m used to taking care of things while he’s away. I don’t get scared…usually.

But this time, things were a little different. One night as I was falling asleep I was startled and heard a rustling sound coming from my bathroom. I sat up and listened. And there is was again.

Definitely rustling.

Plastic being crumpled.

Heart pumping I crept toward the closed door {thank the Lord it was actually closed}. I grabbed the nearest big thing I could find, a basket. A basket? Not sure what I thought I would do with a basket to defend myself, but clearly I should work on my preparedness. I listened quietly again and sure enough SOMETHING was moving around in there.

SOMETHING ALIVE was in my bathroom.

Panic froze me. I had no idea what to do.  I stood there for a long time and decided to do nothing! Nice huh? My bravery knows no bounds! I wedged a towel under the door to insure that no creepy crawler could get out and I went to bed. Problems are always easier to deal with in the daylight, right?!

But here’s the thing. My problems were far from confined to the bathroom.

Surprisingly I was able to fall asleep, but was awoken a couple hours later to chewing.  Chewing that was not coming from the bathroom! Now it was coming from my closet!!! Oh joy.  As I lay there panicked again, I began to imagine that there were probably giant human-eating rats behind those doors. And that they were probably in my room as well. And with that I grabbed my pillow, closed my bedroom door and went to sleep on the couch!

I told you, brave.

The next morning I threw together a homemade hazmat suit…you know, my trendy fall boots, sweats, rubber gloves and my broom and gave myself a pep-talk to open the doors and take on the giant vermin behind them. My poor kids thought their mother had gone crazy. Maybe I had. Maybe I was a little crazy with fear. Fear over what I couldn’t see. Fear of the unknown. Irrational fear.

And then God’s Spirit spoke to my heart. Right there outside my bedroom with my broom in my hands He whispered to me.

Why do you fear daughter? Have you forgotten who I am? And who you are?

I saw the ridiculousness of me, the 5’9” human being afraid of what was probably a really tiny mouse. Rationally I knew is was a mouse. I also knew the size of the hole behind my toilet; the one where the water line goes into the wall that we hadn’t fixed yet. I rationally knew that’s where it had to have come in at. So it had to be tiny.

In that moment my fear was absurd. So I marched in dramatically to conquer it, only to find that whatever it was had already run away back through that hole. {most likely in fear of me}

Then He nudged my heart toward more truth. I pray all the time for My God to protect me from big things. I pray and do my best to not fear in the midst of my spiritual battles. I believe my God’s promise that He made me more than a conqueror and I, like you, fight daily to trust in Him. I think I’m doing a pretty good job in that.

And then I panic when a tiny real-life mouse is in my room.

If I can’t overcome my fear over a rodent, how am I going to overcome my fear when I’m battling my spiritual enemy? When I am faced with the threats that he wields against me? When he attacks me in my thought life? When the lie comes that my sin is too big for God to wipe away. When the trial comes and lies are whispered that it’s only going to get worse.  The honest truth is that I panic then as well. Fear disables me. And I forget that God is the same size whether I’m fearful of a physical mouse or a scary spiritual opponent. All powerful. Almighty. Able to overcome all things.

You see,  you and I were made to walk in boldness and confidence because we have been made MORE than conquerors. When we are IN Christ, we are full of His power. We need not fear what the enemy sends to creep around our rooms…our minds.

Just as I am a giant to that mouse in my bathroom, you and I, in Christ, are giants to the the powers of darkness.

We bring the light.

We have been made righteous by our Savior.

We have been seated with Christ in the heavenly realms.

We hold the sword of His word and know how to use it.

I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.                   Luke 10:19

You, dear one, are a warrior, armed for battle by Him. He has given you your breastplate of righteousness…your helmet of salvation…your shield of faith. That armor is from Him to you and it’s meant to be used. Strap it on! Lift up your chin and lay down your fear.

Fear Not.

Do not be afraid.

For I AM with you.  In you.  I go before you.  And I am behind you.  I am by your side.  I will never leave you or forsake you.

And…I love you. Cherish you. I protect you. I am your refuge. Your shelter. Your strength.

 So, what do you say? Can we shake off that dreaded fear and stand strong against all that comes against us? Once I look at my life, my situation through all of this, I realize He’s actually made it possible to be quite brave.

The next time you hear the rustling in your mind of something that causes you fear…I pray that you remember the brave warrior you are. Who He says you are.

And go kick that little mouse out of your room!

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

-Kallie