One of the core values of our family is gratitude, so we start our day giving thanks for our home, our cars, our friends and family. Each morning I ask my kids about their day and what they are thankful for. Some days I get simple answers from my kids and some days I get some profound statements.
A few weeks ago, I was walking my kids to school. On this particular day, my daughter said something that I will never forget. When I asked her what she was thankful for, she simply responded with the word “Jesus.”
I wanted to go beyond her initial statement, so I asked her, “Why?”
She said, “I saw my clothes stacked on my dresser last night and it made a scary looking shadow.”
“Oh no, a scary shadow?” I asked, concerned by her very serious tone.
She said, “Yes, it was scary, but I prayed and asked Jesus to protect me. Then I went back to sleep.”
As my jaw dropped from this sweet statement I put my arms around my daughter and simply said, “isn’t Jesus so good…”
Two things I learned that day that I hope to hold on to for the rest of my life.
1. I am thankful for Jesus as well. I pray that my daughter will always find comfort in Jesus. I pray that her response to fear and worry will always be “Jesus will protect me.” As much as I want to be her protector, and Lord knows that I will be protecting her from as much as humanly possibly, I want her to know that Jesus is and will always be better than me. I learned that I need to keep pointing her to Jesus to find rest in Him first.
2. I was convicted that day that my first response to fear and worry is rarely to turn to Jesus. I have scary shadows that pop up from time to time, as we all do. I pray that my first reaction would be to pray and get a good night’s sleep.
Scripture tells us over and over that we should not fear.
“There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment.” 1 John 4:18
Do you really believe that Jesus will protect you in any situation? It is one thing to say it and another thing to live it out.
That night my daughter lived it out. The overwhelming peace that Jesus gives us when we turn to him in our fear is hard to describe, but when you feel it, you know it. My daughter felt it and went back to sleep without a care in the world.
What is the scary shadow in your life? What causes you to freeze in fear? Do you immediately turn to Jesus? Just like my daughter that night in her room, we can take it to the Lord and receive rest.
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