Don’t Scare Me!

I am very easily startled.

Sometimes it doesn’t even take a lot to increase my heart rate and somehow signal my sweat glands to start pouring. There are moments in which it seems that my mind only runs to the worst outcome of any given situation. A weird feeling of impending doom.

I remember as a child (actually probably a pre-teen know-it-all), my little brother learned just how he could get under my skin. When I would go into the bathroom and shut the door, he would position himself in the hallway for the precise moment that I would open the door. Instantly, he would jump out and scare me.

I don’t exactly remember what I said but I do remember getting scared. Of course, he would be rolling with laughter. Not me. Ugh, it irked me to be scared. I’m sure I ran right to my parents to tell them what he had done.

What about you?

Are you one that thrives off of surprises? A haunted house keeps you coming back for more. Scary movies that just make you laugh?

Nope, not for me.

I prefer light, airy, fun, and cheerful. Don’t scare me. Don’t surprise me. Don’t take me out of my comfort zone.

I can certainly laugh about these events with my brother now, as we have both gotten older. We were talking about them the other day and sure enough, he said it was payback since I was the older child and somehow got away with everything. He is quite proud of himself for having quite an impact on my life! He admitted the laughter and joy he received was filling.

I was reminded of a passage of Scripture from the book of Second Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:7 - NIV For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.

As Christians, we are equipped with the power of God in us. The Holy Spirit works in and through us and with God on our side, we truly have nothing to fear. This doesn’t mean that we won’t encounter rocky times in life or events that startle us or throw us off our game. We simply have a perspective shift to trust God in all things. A reminder to live like we are children of God. With a desire to see the good in every situation and seek to share that goodness everywhere, we go.

God does not mean for us to live with a timid spirit. He doesn’t mean for us to walk through life with fear and weariness, waiting for someone to jump out and scare us or for the next shoe to drop. We are each gifted with a multitude of talents that this world is waiting to see. Sometimes we just need to take a leap of faith and trust God’s guidance in every avenue of our lives. And of course, remember to laugh along the way, too.