Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. --1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Well it has been one of those days - weird happenings around every corner, the mysterious knock, the out of blue e-mail, the suprise text, the shocking phone call. What did all of these events have in common? They weren't planned. They were the unknown and for the most part still lead to the unknown. I have tried to be honest with you the reader; and more importantly myself - that I tend to suffer from anxiety now and then. It is the main reason I am visiting a counselor to mentally prepare myself to get healthier and find better choices than demolishing a bag of chips or guzzling pop (or soda) can after can everytime the unknown shows up and blankets me with a big ol' case of ANXIETY!
Surprises can be good. The unknown can lead to wonderful paths of peace, comfort, and be filled with blessings beyond our ability to count. The unknown can also lead to paths of darkness, pain, fears, and pull us down into despair and worthlessness. And where do anxious people tend to travel in their imaginations? That's right - speedracing down the scary tumbling route.
Thank goodness God does not reveal tomorrow so that we are not handcuffed today to results of tomorrow based on our decisions in the right here and now. Oh sure there are times all of us wish a magic 8 ball told the truth or a fortune cookie was a news report instead of a quaint saying. But the reality is that no one flawlessly predicts the future. We all live one day at a time though us worriers and type A personalities and control freaks gather as much information and cram it into today to ensure our schedules for tomorrow and the next day and the next week. Rarely do these techniques return worthy results. The majority of the time we are left in a state of why did I do all that? Or worry so much? Or not let go sooner? Because the unknown terrifies us!
Imagine you are in a super dark room with a group of people. In this group one person has a flashlight and one person has a camera. The person with a camera thinks it would be super funny to just take a picture in the dark and let the flash blind the room. Good light? Bad Light? Good chance the group yells at the picture taker in sarcastic tones of "Thanks for blinding us." "Great now I can't see again!" "Wonderful I love to be caught off guard with distorted images while in the dark in a huge group of people." And then the person with the flashlight shines a beam and begins to leave the room? What happens in this scenario? People question where they are going. And several people, if not the majority, will follow to a place where there is light and the opportunity to be more aware.
Because when we are in the unknown and unsure of our footing we seek out comfort, safety, and a place to gain a steady stance. So when light is offered we are shocked and almost offended by the false hope that distorts our surroundings even more. But when a true beacon of hope is offered we almost can't help ourselves but follow this gift of sight even when we are unsure of where it leads.
The unknown. Like I said several opportunities may or may not be available to us. We continue to seek God's guidance so that we may follow the lights of hope and aren't blinded by the flashes of distortion. In the unknown/the dark it is easy to feel anxious and alone. But we have to remember we are never truly alone and God wants us to remove our blankets of doubts, worries, hesitations, and all that we like to hide under when responsibility, opportunity, and extra work appear without guarantees of success. The unknown: a scary place? a paradise? a launching pad? a temporary landing? momentary exploration? Where does the unknown lead you?
May your HealthFULL Journey guide you to impossible cliffs, exhilarating ravines, memorable horizons, and fields of peace. Because a journey means to move from here to the unknown and beyond. 'Til we meet again. . .
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