Somewhere along the line our 4-year-old granddaughter has become afraid of bugs. Now I know that bugs and girls don’t generally go together all that well. But Ava is really afraid of bugs! For example, she will not get into our small swimming pool if she sees a bug floating on the water. And if she’s in the back yard at our house and a bug even gets near her, she runs toward the house. For Ava, bugs represent danger. And I don’t know why. As far as I know I don’t believe that she has ever been stung by a bee. Or bitten by any bug other than a mosquito. (The common experience that we all share!) Chances are that she probably learned this fear from someone. Like most fears, hers is irrational.
We have tried to work with her on this. We have shared with her that most bugs don’t bite or sting. That most bugs will leave you alone if you leave them alone (mosquitoes excepted). That all bugs are very small in proportion to humans, even to small children. The reality is that we have nothing to fear from bugs. Unfortunately she’s not convinced yet. We’ll just have to keep working with her on this.
As I thought about Ava’s aversion to bugs, aren’t we all like this at times? A fairly small situation comes into our lives, a situation that’s relatively minor, and what do we do? We begin to build it up in our minds. What if this happens? What if that happens? Pretty soon we have made our minor problem into a problem of healthy proportions. Now the problem is huge. Bigger than us. Ready to swallow us alive. There is no way that we can handle it.
This is where God’s Word comes in so handy. It puts our problems into perspective. We see that, in comparison to God, our problems are the size of a tiny bug. And just about as dangerous. I like what Jeremiah says in 32:17. “Ah, Lord God, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” In other words, God can do all things. The same God who spoke the universe into existence can take care of our problem. Or any combination of problems. All we need to do is to put the situation into His hands. Do whatever we’re supposed to do. And leave the rest to Him. No problem!
Lord, help me to see my problems from Your perspective. They are no match for Your great power. Your understanding. Your wisdom. I thank you that nothing is too difficult for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
We have tried to work with her on this. We have shared with her that most bugs don’t bite or sting. That most bugs will leave you alone if you leave them alone (mosquitoes excepted). That all bugs are very small in proportion to humans, even to small children. The reality is that we have nothing to fear from bugs. Unfortunately she’s not convinced yet. We’ll just have to keep working with her on this.
As I thought about Ava’s aversion to bugs, aren’t we all like this at times? A fairly small situation comes into our lives, a situation that’s relatively minor, and what do we do? We begin to build it up in our minds. What if this happens? What if that happens? Pretty soon we have made our minor problem into a problem of healthy proportions. Now the problem is huge. Bigger than us. Ready to swallow us alive. There is no way that we can handle it.
This is where God’s Word comes in so handy. It puts our problems into perspective. We see that, in comparison to God, our problems are the size of a tiny bug. And just about as dangerous. I like what Jeremiah says in 32:17. “Ah, Lord God, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” In other words, God can do all things. The same God who spoke the universe into existence can take care of our problem. Or any combination of problems. All we need to do is to put the situation into His hands. Do whatever we’re supposed to do. And leave the rest to Him. No problem!
Lord, help me to see my problems from Your perspective. They are no match for Your great power. Your understanding. Your wisdom. I thank you that nothing is too difficult for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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