Turn “the Light” On When Fear Comes Calling
Sometimes I sleep with the light on.
I’m not a person who is easily scared but occasionally, even I am loathe to turn off the light. Recently, I spent two nights away by myself in a cabin in Pennsylvania. It was a glorious time, but when night rolled around and it was time to go upstairs to bed, I admit I was a little nervous about turning off the light. It didn’t help that there was a large bumble bee flying around the downstairs that kept banging into walls and buzzing. I did try to ignore the shadows it cast on the wall behind the stairway. In the end, I just kept the light on, it wasn’t the best night of sleep I’ve ever had, but it seemed safer than plunging the room into darkness.
Darkness seems to be the game changer. A house that is warm and hospitable in the daylight can seem scary when darkness falls and you are all alone. As a single mom I experience the heaviness of night on a somewhat regular basis. Often, as I lay in bed waiting to sleep, I wonder if I remembered to lock the front door, and I ponder the responsibility that I have to protect my four children if anything were to happen while we slept.
You don’t have to be a single parent to feel the clutching fingers of fear that seem to attack once the sun has set and the houselights are down. We all have circumstances in our lives that can leave us feeling vulnerable and alone. It may seem crazy, but I’ve learned to feel thankful for these moments.
Once the lights are off and I lay alone in my bed with thoughts of “what if…” swirling in my head, I am reminded that I am in need of a Protector. I need a Heavenly Father who will watch over us while we sleep. I remember that I can call on the One Who is my Fortress.
Turn the Light On
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” – Psalm 18:2 NLT
However, fear is not limited to just the dark and lonely nights, nor does it exclusively attack the single person. Fear can be found in a room full of sunlight while we are surrounded by loved ones. It can creep among us and settle in our hearts, or whisper in our ears even in the brightest of locations.
If fear has been whispering in your ear, or you’ve found yourself sleeping with the light on more often than not, do not despair. In that very moment when you feel your heart clutch with fear, turn your mind to God, our Mighty Fortress. He does surround us like an impenetrable wall.
Allow those moments in the dark, whether literal or figurative, to be a reminder of Who God is. Take the opportunity to seek the Lord as the Psalmist did,
“I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4 ESV
Then roll over, turn out the light, and close your eyes. Let God be the Wall that blocks the whispers of fear.
You are not alone.
Copyright © Rebecca Onkar, Moms of Faith®, All Rights Reserved
