I remember as a little child I had this special way of cleaning my room. It worked like a charm. I knew exactly where everything could go, and I would be done in no time. The location, you ask? The magical area of carpet underneath my bed.
Yep! That’s right! A shove here…a push there…and voila! All clean, baby! Record time at that! I was a trustworthy little kid, so I don’t think my mom ever quite figured it out (or did she…hmmm).
It all seemed to work well until nighttime. I was too shallow to feel real guilt and shame for my “clever” behavior. No way! It was something more horrifying than that. It was this odd way that the clothes, toys, and Barbie dolls I had shoved away began to look like “monsters” in the wee hours of the night.
“I am not moving!” I would declare in my frightened state of mind. “If I get off this mattress, something will grab my ankles, something will touch my legs! No way, baby!” I would think. “I am going to wait until the sun comes up or the lights are turned on. That’s it!”
This little home-girl was NOT moving! There had to be light so I could clearly see that the monsters could not get me.
Recently, it a thought hit me: even though we grow up, we can still have monsters under our beds. Rather than toys and clothing, we often try to tuck away:
sorrows over dead dreams…….
regrets for risks not taken…….
anger from painful betrayals…….
hurts from break-ups….
secrets from hidden shame……
wounds of our youth…..
angst over hopes deferred…..
nostalgia from seasons past….
frustration from being misunderstood…
the list can go on… and on.
Shoved away for too long, we risk letting these areas become monsters that paralyze us in fear to move, to love, to trust, and to dream again. We risk missing out on some of the greatest blessings of life and even fulfilling our purpose. We can’t just conveniently forget these confusing and disappointing experiences by placing them in that magical, numb, no-touch area of our hearts. The truth is: those moments we said we’ll get over, we’ll forget, or we’ll just move on are often the very instances we need to revisit.
Scared yet? Me too! But we don’t have to face the monsters alone. The world is chaotic and life is not fair, but you don’t have to try to deal with it all by yourself. There is a God who is willing to shine light on the monsters under your bed. I have seen him make crooked areas in my life straight. I have seen Him help me forgive people I never thought I would ever talk to again. I have seen Him bring peace to my relationships and also restore dreams I had let slip away. He is a Gentlemen. He doesn’t rush in and make us feel horrible about our lives. He loves us to wholeness. He loves us to freedom. He is a God of justice and much grace.
Will you let him be the sun in the dark places of your life? Will you let Him shine light on the monsters under your bed?
Prayer: Dear God, give us the courage to face the places we have closed off to You. Whether it’s in anger or whether it’s in tears, help us to boldly come to You, knowing that you are a God with open arms and steadfast love. Nothing is too scary for you, and we know that your light brings hope, joy, and wholeness. We trust you to handle all that concerns us, including the monsters under the bed.
Scripture Reference: Psalm 34:5 (ESV) Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces are never covered with shame.
from Gems by Jewel: RARE Pearls Edition by Isis Smalls ©
