An innocent fly buzzed across our table last night only to cause one of our children to practically have a panic attack.This tiny fly brought on tears, screaming, and intense fear.I was stunned and did not really know what to do (it is just a fly after all, right?).I let the fly crawl on me to show our kids that it was harmless.I told them it was a friend. They said “hi” to the fly. I told them that it would not hurt them.
This reasoning did not work.
So I prayed with them and reminded them that the Lord was the Lord of armies and he was much bigger than the fly – in fact he made the fly.They listened…and then started screaming again. Finally I said, “Look at me.”They turned and looked at me and calmed instantly. Fears were gone.
Then the kids started looking for the fly again only to then resume the screaming. I said “Look at me” (not as a suggestion but as a command) and they would not. It’s as if they wanted to be scared. They desired to keep looking at the fly and screaming. “Look at me,” I said again. Then they looked at me and all fears were gone once again.
Now we are still working through the issue of “The Fly” and yet the Lord has used this situation to help me see myself in my children.
How many times have I sat there and stared at my problems as the Lord was commanding me through his Word, “Look at me” only then to receive peace? Just like my children, my heart is slow to look to him because if I do not keep my eye on my problems, everything will just fall apart (right?)
But God is my parent, and a far better parent than I, and he commands me through his Word to…
- Look at Him. Where are my thoughts? Is God in my thoughts? What attributes of God can I focus my mind on? Am I thinking about the Lord or about my problems? “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3
- Spend my Time Praying Instead of Worrying. Have I spent time praying about this problem? Have I thanked God for who he is even in the midst of this problem? Do I believe God wants me to ask him for specific things and delights to give them to me? Do I believe peace will follow when I pray? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
- Think of Anything that is Good. Am I thinking of every potential negative scenario? Am I assuming the worst? Is my mind rehearsing all the bad things that could go wrong? Or am I determined to think about things that are noble and good? Am I taking note of true and pure things and letting them be the default position of my mind rather than my problems? “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
There are myriads of other incentives the Lord gives us to “look at him” but these are the first few that came to mind. Although I can chuckle that a fly invokes such a frenzy in my home, I am so thankful for all such lessons that the Lord teaches me through my children.
