Can you tell that this picture is about staying calm? Can you guess what this picture is? More precisely, can you guess what those dark spots are shadows of? Well, this may shock you but it is dog fur.
We bought a kiddie pool for our corgi puppy to cool him off and yesterday I was looking at the shadows and realized that they were shadows of the fine strands of dog fur.
I called Ted over to show him because I was amazed at how far from reality the shadows were.
Rafa’s fur is just thin, blondish or white STRAIGHT hair. I was actually surprised it could create a shadow given how thin the real deal was. This made me think of all of the times that I worry and all of the things that I worry about.
Remaining calm is not my forte. I think I often panic about the grandiosity of shadows rather than the actual problem…I panic about a figment of my own imagination. And as I’m sitting here, I’m letting that imagination run…
Imagine that we lived as if shadows were hard and solid like their objects.
We would take bigger or smaller steps than we actually needed to because now we need to get around the whole object and shadow.
If we were trying to get around someone in line, we would walk around a greater circumference so as not to bump the actual person or step on their shadow.
And driving…can you imagine trying to not hit other cars OR their shadows?
First, we would look like idiots. Second, we would be wasting a lot of energy navigating something that wasn’t even there.
Third, we might miss out on a lot of opportunities because we decided the shadows were too scary to even try to conquer.
I could have looked at the shadows in that pool yesterday and thought there was some kind of creepy, LARGE bug.
I could have concocted up any solution to the question of what those dark circles were, however, I remained calm and kept looking and studying the surroundings.
When I approached it
in a calm manner, I saw the sun.
I saw the fur and its actual size and
smallness.
I realized the shadow
was totally out of proportion
and not a big deal.
One definition of a shadow is this: A shadow is a dark shape that is formed when an object blocks a source of light. Interesting. The sun is there and the object is there. Both are real.
But you can forget the power of the sun and the placement of the sun – it is higher and over the object.
If you keep your eyes down, though, all you will see is a big scary shadow and then you will think that you have reason to worry.
I have many objects in my life that I am tempted to let block my Source of Light. I am a professional worrier but the job doesn’t pay that well.
I think I need to slow down and pray…if I’m preoccupied by shadows that are blowing the object size out of proportion, then I need to stop, pause, look where my Source of light is…
My God is higher and He is over my object/problem causing me worry.
Where are you seeing shadows? What are you seeing as larger than reality? Are you having a hard time remembering that God is higher and bigger than your problem? Me too.
You and me. Let’s do this. When we are scared of the shadow, when are worries are casting looming shadows over our lives, let’s slow down. Deep breaths. Stay calm.
And let’s remember how big our God is. He’s got it and He knows what He is doing. And then let’s pray. Let’s exhale it into his hands.
“The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.” Psalm 29:10
Keep your eyes from looking down as best you can. Don’t focus on the shadow but rather, let’s look up to the Source of Light.
