When Arrows Come Flyin’

            Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  – Ephesians 6:16 (NIV)

            “Never make plans,” a friend once advised me. “Take it only one day at a time.”

            That’s wise advice, considering some days so much comes flying at me that I’d like to go hide all by myself for awhile. A week would do nicely.

            The expected things I can handle. It’s the unexpected, unplanned, unforeseen things that throw a crammed schedule out of whack and trip me up – like getting sick.

            When I was working, Saturday was the only full day for such pleasantries as laundry and house cleaning. One Saturday, however, I woke up with a sore throat and sinus congestion, so I took a 12-hour cold pill, thinking it would get me through the day. I was wrong. All it did was make me drowsy. I snoozed all afternoon and evening, while my work went undone. 

My Saturday chores were still staring at me Monday morning. Monday morning, however, I was still sick. Tuesday I called the doctor for antibiotics, but that bug hung on. For three weeks fatigue kept me on the couch, staring at the dust and disorder that got worse every day.

            It’s when things pile up and I feel my schedule slipping out of control that I find I’m more susceptible to temptation. Ditto when I’m tired or sick. It’s easy to cave in and feel sorry for myself. Self-pity makes me testy, and I before I know it, I’m snapping at my husband and children. Then the guilt sets in.

            I need to learn to use my “shield of faith” by remembering Who is really in control of the events of my life. Often the only time God can get my attention is when I’m flat on my back and helpless. I’m more willing to listen then and more apt to learn that it’s God’s faithfulness and not my own weak faith that helps me to cope when arrows come flying.

            Great is Your faithfulness, Lord, unto me. Thank you. Amen.

    From God, Me, & a Cup of Tea, Vol. 3, © 2019 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.