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| Little E Loves His Naps |
"Have you ever slept so hard you woke up in a panic because you thought you'd missed the school bus, but it's Saturday and you're 35 years old?" Oh my goodness! I've done that! A good hard sleep can be so disorienting.
You know what else I find disorienting? Hotel rooms. As much as I love to travel and see new places, I find sleeping in a hotel one of my least favorite things. I never know where I am. I can't see. I can't be quiet enough for those who are with me. I'd almost rather stay home, except I love to travel and see new places.
Difficult seasons of our lives can have the same effect as those hotel rooms. We've likely never been there before. It's dark. We can't see. And those around us would often prefer we were quiet about our struggles (unless you have stellar friends like I do). Identifying our spot on the map and knowing where we are is the beginning. Acclimating ourselves to the dark next. Much like waking in a strange room, we have to let our eyes adjust to our new surroundings.
My friend, Kristen, found herself "waking up in a dark room just this week" when she lost her job. She texted our circle of friends asking for prayer following a meltdown while starting her job search. Her world had fallen dark and her vision had not yet adjusted. All she could see was darkness and she was disoriented. Enter her circle of friends who sent her encouragement and verse and reminders of all the ways God has been faithful to her throughout the years. Her eyes adjusted as these slivers of light broke through. There were shapes and shadows where there had only been blindness and hopelessness and panic before.
Knowing where you are on the map doesn't always help you see your way out, but eventually your eyes adjust and things begin to take shape. So what will help your eyes adjust to these dark hotel rooms? I'm reminded of Psalm 119:105, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path." Scripture defines itself as the light we need even if it is only enough light for the next step. It help us orient ourselves back to the reality of God's goodness and faithfulness and grace toward us.
In a particularly dark season for me, I found the verses "trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding" almost everywhere I looked. It was the sliver of light I needed to find my way.
Trust in the Word of God in your dark seasons. If you're not sure where the "light switch" is or where to start reading the Bible, reach out to your circle of friends like Krissy did. People who love you can shed light on your dark room. And notice the things He has on repeat like He did with me. God is speaking and illuminating the space you're in when we let Him.
(This series is based on an article from My Jewish Learning. Click the link for the full article.)