ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN

Everyone who knows me knows that I hate bugs. I always have, and now that we live in Delaware, it's even worse. The sound of insect wings drives me insane, and the mere suggestion of eating outside makes my heart race. Of course, what this means is that I normally don’t drive with my windows down. As long as the weather is nice, my windows are shut tightly while the AC blasts to avoid any unwanted guests flying in. However, this has been something I’ve been trying to work on, as I do enjoy a nice breeze, especially when it gets a little cooler. 

So, for a couple of days last week, it's been really nice outside. It wasn't too hot...just cool enough to wear a sweater. So, I decided that I would drive with my windows down. In my usual prayer for traveling mercies, I added a small note, “God, please don’t let anything fly in here while I’m driving.” And then I set off to drive to school but on the drive, I began to get distracted. Every bush or field I passed would be accompanied by the sound of cicadas or other winged insects, which set me on edge, looking around to make sure nothing flew in. When I stopped at a stoplight, the sound got to me so much that I actually rolled up the windows on one side. 

Although rolling up the window made me feel safer against anything that might fly in, it made me think about my prayer that morning. I had asked God not to let anything fly in, and yet I didn’t trust Him enough to actually do it. I was still trying to control the situation that I asked God to handle. And how many of us can relate to that? It can be hard to give up control of a situation, especially when we are distracted by all the things that we see, hear and think can go wrong around us. When we keep our eyes on those distractions instead of God’s faithfulness and promises to us, that’s when the anxiety and doubt can creep in. 

Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” If we ask God for something, we need to trust that He will provide it for us. He has our best interests at heart, and He delights in giving us the things we need and desire.  Sometimes we just need to step out in faith, regardless of what it looks like around us because when we tune out the distractions and focus on God, we free ourselves up to walk in faith and enjoy what God wants to bless us with. 

~Nia Roberts