It’s Gonne Be Scary

IT'S GONNA BE SCARY
by Nina Williams

Bruce and I were headed out to the truck. Darby was skipping behind. Our part of the state was under a hurricane watch and we were going out to look at the beaches. We had listened off and on all day to the weather reports. The kids had constantly asked, "When is the hurricane going to be here?"

The storm had never reached hurricane status, and barring any unexpected changes, it seemed that the weather wasn't going to be as bad as first indicated. We decided to drive around before the rainfall began. We wanted to drive by the bayous and see how many boats had been taken out to deeper water and anchored so they wouldn't be buffeted by the strong winds. We wanted to see how big the waves were on the beaches, and whether anyone had boarded up their windows.

Earlier in the day, one of our sons had mentioned that the storm was beginning to build up. It seemed that we would be directly hit by it. At only seven-years, Darby couldn't quite imagine what that meant. She wanted to know when she would see the hurricane. It was as if she thought a hurricane was an object that was going to stand in front of her and then hit her. I tried several times to explain to her that it was just like a storm, only with more wind and rain. Finally, I gave up.

Once we decided to go for a drive, I asked the kids if any of them wanted to ride along. Darby was ready to go. She looked at me with a big grin and said, "It's gonna be scary, but it's gonna be fun."

Again I tried to tell her that we would not be in any danger. I told her that if the weather was that bad we wouldn't take her out. In fact, I continued, we would have already left our home to go to a safer place. She just grinned and hopped into the truck. We drove around for awhile, looked at the sights, and even stopped at Mc Donalds for an ice-cream cone. Just like on a regular day. When we returned home I asked her whether or not she had been scared. Needless to say, she had not.

I realized that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't understand about the storm that was coming. I knew she would have to wait until later to see the wind and the rain. Only then would she begin to understand what a hurricane was.

As I prepared dinner that evening I thought about Darby. I thought about how, in her innocence, she had trusted her dad and I to take care of her. She couldn't imagine what the storm would be like. She only knew that she felt safe with us. So without hesitation, she agreed to go. I realized that sometimes, God has things he wants us to do. He has places for us to go, and yes, people for us to see. Often times we can't understand what it is that he wants us to do. God tells us if we trust him, he will protect us and he will keep us safe. But sometimes even with God directing us, we can't quite understand what it is that we are to do, or how we are to do it. Sometimes the task seems monumental.
We question God, "How can I do that? I'm not wise enough, or influential enough, or important enough to do that."
We need to learn to rely on God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. God wouldn't require you to do something he hadn't made provision for. Romans 12:3 tells us, " . . .God has dealt to every man the measure of faith."

Each time we rely on God and we become victorious, our faith increases. As that happens, God is able to trust us with other things. You can probably look back to another time when God asked you to do something. You didn't think you could, yet somehow, you and God got through it. Today it might seem pretty insignificant to you, but in days past it was a big thing for you. By the same token, the things that you are believing God for today, would have been impossible for you to believe for in the past.

Has God called you to do something that you feel incapable of doing? Ask God to show you what to do. James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Are you unsure of what you are doing? Proverbs 3:5-6 is a great encouragement from God. Psalm 37:5 is another great verse of encouragement.

Once you have asked God for wisdom, and have decided to trust him to direct your ways, you will begin to develop faith in God. Sometimes it will be difficult to do. But as you do, you will become more confident in God. I John 5:14-15
says, " . . .if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us. And we know that if he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

It won't be long until you trust God completely. You might not know where the path leads, or see the whole picture. You might even be a little bit afraid, but you'll know that God is able to lead you. You'll be as eager to go as Darby.
In her words, "It's gonna be scary. But it's gonna be fun."

Technorati Tags: hurricane,scary,bruce,darby,storm,dinner,ask you,impossible,believe,encouragement,trust in god,completely