Have you ever thought about putting your head under a pillow
and blocking out the drama in the world?
We can get overwhelmed with news about war, politics, crime, poverty, foolish
living, racial strife…it goes on and on.
Do we even need to mention that we also have family, marriage, friendship
and personal drama? A hiding place doesn’t
sound bad at all. I understand the
inclination to hide all too well, but an experience with Coco, the sausage dog,
reminded me that it is not a healthy place.
Coco, the sausage dog, lives in Seattle with my friends and spiritual
family. As the family goes to work
daily, Coco and I are left at home to fend for ourselves. She is a hyperactive dog, but when we are
alone she does something peculiar (at least to me). She hides under a comforter on the
floor. She knows exactly how to negotiate that comforter to cover her without any help from humans. Once under it, she is so small that you would
not know she was there if she didn’t move.
Under that comforter, the light is blocked and nothing can get to
her. She is safe, or so it appears, in
her own little world.
I have seen many Christians do the same thing. They retreat from contact with other
Christians. They withdraw from attending
services, praying with others and reading the Word of God. They put their head under a blanket and try
to shut the world out. Why? For each person it is different. One may have a problem that is so big that
they can’t see past it. Another may be
overloaded with their problems and hearing the plight of other people in their
city, country and around the world.
Still others may feel directionless.
They feel they don’t know what direction to move in so they don’t move
at all. The condemnation from sin causes
many to check out and run from help.
Time alone is valuable.
However, the worst time to be alone is when you are suffering, hurting
and at your wits end. Isolation does
more than leave you alone to deal (or not deal) with life. Isolation can lead to discouragement,
depression, loneliness and so much more.
More than anything, isolation can leave you vulnerable. It leaves you open actually to more pain. Coco may be comfortable under her cover, but
she is invisible to those around her. On
my first night here, I nearly stepped on her because I couldn’t see her under
the comforter. Coco may feel safe, but
she really isn’t safe at all. When we
hide out, the enemy of our souls looks for ways to bring us further down. Instead of retreating, we must be like Job
and David.
I think about some of the people in the bible and wonder if
they felt that way. As Job continued to
lose everything including his children, animals, wife and possessions, did he
want to run away and hide? He had to be
thinking, “what’s next.” His friends
were of little help. They tried, but
they were missing the mark with Job. Job
didn’t run from his friends or his life, he made a simple declaration of what
gave him hope.
Job 13:15(NKJV)
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
David was on the run and living in the enemies
territory. He is asked to go out and
battle against Israel, but he is rejected because the Philistines don’t trust
him. As he and his soldiers are returning to their
camp in Ziglag, they smell smoke. The camp has been burned down and the women
and children taken captive. On top of
everything else, some of his men began to blame him. Do you think that David may have wanted to
put his head under a blanket (or go in a cave) and hide? David did not abandon his men or left to
grieve in isolation. Instead, David did
the only thing he knew to do. He turned
to the Lord.
1 Samuel 30:6(NKJV)
6Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning
him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and
his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
When we are feeling overwhelmed, we must find our trust and
strength in the Lord. It is the only way
to endure a sin sick world. Things may be
difficult now, but when we begin to see it through God’s Word and eyes, we have
hope. Don’t separate yourself. Don’t retreat. No pity parties are allowed. Praise and thanksgiving will lead you into
victory every time. You may not get your
desired outcome every time, but you will come out of it with hope. Always remember, you are never alone. The body of Christ is looking to encourage
and support you. Above all, Jesus will
never leave you or forsake you. He said:
Matthew 28:20b(NKJV)
20 …..and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age.” £Amen.
