Monday, March 22, 2021

THE NIGHTMARE

 

Nightmares are scary things. They seem so real and frightening. You may even wake up screaming. But then you realize it was just a bad dream and relief washes over your brain and body. 

But some nightmares are actual events. It could be a life threatening health issue like cancer or heart disease or COVID19. Or it may be a serious illness or a condition such as Parkinson’s or macular degeneration. The loss of a family member seems like a nightmare too - a spouse or parent or sibling or the very worst, the loss of a child. 

You actually wish it were just a nightmare because to don’t want it to be real. You can’t believe it’s happening to you. The emotional shock seems too much to handle. You want to scream. You want it to go away. But you realize you can’t wake up from this bad dream. You are more afraid than from any nightmare.

 The only relief is the comfort that comes from God. When the fear and pain that awful events or news produces, the Bible gives us help and hope. Many times God tells us in His Word, “Don’t be afraid,” or “Fear not.” Jesus promised to give us His peace.

 And some nightmares are from external circumstances, such as devastating tornados or fires or earthquakes or hurricanes or blizzards. Others are from wars and rumors of wars. And a current nightmare is from the political agenda that cancelled the pipeline, and opened the southern border and is housing kids in prison-like conditions.

 Thankfully, God’s promise of peace and comfort apply to these as well. As it says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Amen 

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

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