Press the Panic Button!

 Early on in my caregiving journey, I was quick to push the panic button. I pretty much lived in a state of panic and stress. Facing the unknown is difficult, and can lead to panic attacks, for real! Everything is new, there is no normal to bring balance. It can be rough.

As we grow accustomed to the new norms of caregiving life, maybe we don't tend to push the proverbial panic button as often. 

In Exodus 14:10, the Children of Israel have just left the chains of Egypt behind. Literally everything in their lives had changed, much like becoming a caregiver! They can't run home to whatever type of "home" they had in Egypt. There wasn't even any "comfort food" to grab. What, no mac & cheese!! No calling out for pizza, either? They didn't have the choice to binge-watch the latest sitcom or drama. Not that any of that helps, we just tend to run to what we know.

All of a sudden, they are facing the Red Sea, and they can hear and see Pharaoh's army closing in from behind. They panic. No judgment here! I've done it - we've probably all done it. It says in the NLT, they began to panic, they prayed, then they pointed at Moses. How dare you bring us out here - we could have just stayed in Egypt to die! 

I will give them this - at least they did pray after they were in a state of panic. Of course, they didn't wait for an answer before they turned to point at Moses. They forgot that they willingly followed him out of Egypt. It was their choice, and it was the right choice, yet here they sat. 

We've all been in a place where we knew God was leading us, but it all looked so wrong. It all felt so bad. We may have been in panic because we just weren't sure what to do. Moses had the answer to their pointed questions!

In verse 14, Moses said, Don't panic (fear), be still, watch God. I believe this advice is still good for our situations today. If we can learn to do these three things, we'll remain in good shape. In fact, this is my goal for today, no matter what. Don't let panic or fear set in - it's not a sin to feel it. But we don't have to feed it. Quiet our souls before Him, then sit back and watch Him work. In one swoop, God alleviated the sea and the army. He had a path planned, waiting just beneath the water, it was appointed for that day in time! He's got a plan and a path for us, too!

Today, I will not push the panic button. I am resolved to trust that God will provide a path through whatever lies ahead. I'll stay focused on Him and trust that He has already planned the way for this day's problems. I may panic, but I'll camp at praying and choose not to blame others for my situation. I will trust God for victory today, and I'll trust Him to keep me out of the victim mindset, because I am His. I trust that He will show me the route to victory in my own heart and mind as I trust Him with one more day. Will you join me?

 Peace Out! It's in the Bible is a 31-day devotional that is focused on letting God's peace reign in our hearts - no matter what. You can get the eBook from my shop at Buy Me A Coffee. Or the print and kindle versions are available in my Amazon Shop.