When We’re Afraid

And we too need to find comfort in the arms of someone greater than ourselves…

It was a Sunday evening after service at a country church here in our community. Adults were inside fellowshipping over a meal with the guest speaker doing what adults do, and the kids were outside running and tussling around doing what kids do. I don’t quite recall who made the announcement, but the adulting in the kitchen was put on pause when the crowd was notified of a deer fawn that decided to play with the human kids outside. Sure enough, when we walked out, there was the fawn – held safely in the arms of one of the older children. Who knows the details of why the deer did what it did, but it is pretty certain that the little deer was afraid and way out of its comfort zone. Thankfully, it found comfort in someone’s arms and was returned to its place of normal life – the woods.

In some fashion or another, I suppose each of us can identify with that little deer. We too, at times, find ourselves in situations that we don’t know exactly how to handle. We too step out of our lane from time to time and need to be redirected and helped back on track. And we too need to find comfort in the arms of someone greater than ourselves when these times roll around. Thank the Lord that we have such a Heavenly Father to run to and rest in! I am reminded of the words of the Psalmist as I reflect on the deer incident from a few nights ago – When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3. Oh, how we need to refine our practice of this discipline!

When I was a young ‘un – probably 9 or 10 years old, I remember one deer hunt that my dad took me along for one cool fall evening. He put me in my stakeout spot for the evening, gave me some general instructions, and then told me to wait for him to return so we could walk out together. As the sun went down and the sounds of the woods went up, a tension rose up in the mind of this little boy! Every cricket chirp was certainly a monster coming for me, and every scurry in the leaves had to be some wild animal making its way in my direction! Darkness settled, and so did my anxious thoughts when I saw Daddy’s flashlight coming towards me. He had told me that he would be back to get me, and he was true to his word! Even more so, the Heavenly Father is true to His word and can be trusted in our moments of despair. As He reminded us in John 14, He hasn’t left us alone, He’s with us and He’ll come to get us soon enough! -John 14:1-3.

When life hits us in these ways, like that deer fawn ran to those kids, let us run to safety and find comfort in the arms of our Lord! Let us practice daily the discipline of fixing our eyes on and resting in the presence of the Savior – Philippians 4:6-9. In this, we will find comfort for our souls and peace for our troubled minds. And then one day in the future, we can swap stories of how God comforted us in our troubles like that little child did the baby deer. Whether somewhere along a road in the woods or in a bend along the river, somewhere around, hopefully soon and full of peace and comfort, I’ll see you…In The Great Outdoors!