I Can't See Through The Smoke!

Labor Day was spent with my family.  We had a great time together and we were on our way home when we saw it.    There is was....big, black and very ominous!  Smoke.  We couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from but we could tell it wasn't very far from our surrounding area!!   We soon found out that a wildfire had broke out near the Renaissance Festival and was gaining ground quickly.


I don't remember exactly when I noticed the smoke in our yard....but I remember the fear that accompanied it! The smoke was thick and had that odor of devastation with it.   I don't mean to sound so dramatic....but on this side of it....not knowing what was happening and where it was coming from....a person tends to get a little dramatic!!  Just sayin!   The TV news wasn't helping very much at this point and so we were left to our imagination, frustration and fear.  When we did finally get some information it was alot worse than we thought.


This is where I would love to tell you that I immediately went running to my Heavenly Father...found great peace and never again experienced fear...but I can't!   For the last week I have had to going running over and over again to the Throne.   One moment feeling the great peace that passes all understanding and then the next that old anxiety would cover me just like that smoke would cover my yard and home.  All I could do was keeping running back to my Heavenly Father...who would embrace me,  wipe away my tears and fears and tell me that He sees it all and is still in control.   I would get up from His warm lap,  wipe away my tears and go about my daily business....with one eye on the fire and one knee bent to the ground.   


I remember sitting on my back porch....overwhelmed, weary and thanking God for the reprieve of smoke at that moment.  I looked up to my right and there it was....a new pillar of dark smoke forming again!   As my eyes drifted to that smoke pillar I thought to myself...."I can either let my eyes stay on that dark pillar or make them look further up and beyond into the blue heavens and to my Heavenly Father.  I choose to look beyond!!


When dark clouds form around you....it doesn't matter how often you have to run to your Heavenly Father...just keep running and keep your eyes up beyond the dark clouds....that is where your help comes from.


“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 ESV