Running Away or Running Toward?

 Fight or Flight??? Have you ever had those feelings while something overwhelming is happening around you? What is happening does not have to be life threatening, but it can make you feel like you need to get away from the anger, rage, temper tantrum, sickness, drama, overcrowding, small places….I can go on and on. 

Sometimes, the sensation for flight is so strong I feel like I’m going to go into a panic attack if I can’t get away. In the past, when those feelings happened, I could get in my car and ‘escape’ to a store until things settled. But, I can’t do that now because my escape plan has been grounded. 

Recently, a quiet internal voice told me to stop fleeing and to fight. Fight for my marriage, Fight for my family, Fight for my faith…

This type of fighting does not involve screaming, shouting, hitting, or throwing things. This fight involves standing strong (and still), praying fervently, reading the WORD, and being involved.

When we run away, we are running away from GOD’s blessings, grace, and peace. There is nowhere on Earth we can hide from GOD.

Psalm 139:7-10 “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” 

Even Jonah learned he could not run away from GOD or GOD’s plans.

My doctors may have written my grounding in my chart, but nothing happens without GOD’s permission. HE just used the doctors for HIS purpose.

I believe part of the purpose for my ‘grounding’ is so that I can show others how to deal with difficult situations, how to remain calm when a ‘storm’ is raging around you, even if the person you are an example for is the one raging. I’ve always tried to show my family, friends, colleagues, and students how to remain calm even when you want to scream and throw things.

Someone told me today I was handling the no-driving situation very well. Yep…but if you could see inside my head, then you might not think so. I hate not driving. I hate not jumping into the car and running to the grocery store. I hate not going to Walmart, Publix, or anywhere without a chaperone. 

Please don’t get me wrong, I am so blessed for those who are my chauffeurs, but I feel absolutely helpless to have to plan such a simple thing as running to the supermarket for milk and ice cream.

 I believe the other purpose for my ‘grounding’ is that I can no longer run from the loss of my vision and its complications. .I can no longer hide behind the concept of independence in the daytime. A lot of people have difficulty driving at night, so losing my night privileges weren’t so bad. However, daytime driving ‘blindness’ was a shock. I knew it was coming, yet I couldn’t park the car. I wasn’t ready.

Are we ever ready for GOD’s intervention, HIS plan, HIS purpose, HIS guidance?

We can act like the children who want one more story before bedtime, just 5 more minutes.

I saw this quote online: “God doesn’t give us what we can handle. God helps us handle what we are given” (Anonymous). Without GOD in our lives, we will forever be running away, running with no purpose, no goal. We would not be living up to 2 Timothy 4:7

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Instead of running away from the problem or situation, run toward GOD. Running toward GOD is running toward peace, running toward a safe place, running toward a future. Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it? Yes, oh, yes.

I may be physically grounded, but GOD is helping me to soar, to overcome, to face the challenges.

Isaiah 40:31 “…but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

2 Corinthians 1:4 “…who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

As you face the ‘fight or flight’ episodes in your life, I pray that you choose to fight the good fight and fly to GOD.

PB

Matt Maher: Run to the Father. https://youtu.be/OiNckhkjOLU


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