Maneuvering in the Darkness

Yesterday when I woke up I moved my ankle around and wondered why in the world it hurt.  I could walk on it but it just felt like I had strained some things inside.  Then I remembered, ah, yes, the fall the night before.  Are you surprised that I fell?  Don’t be, it happens all of the time.  It’s just one of the many ways that I hurt myself.  In fact, it’s such a common occurrence that my husband gave me a very practical Christmas gift.  You know how in the work place there is a sign that says how many days without an incident or injury and then how many previous days that had gone by without one?  Well, I got my very own, special one to keep track of my incidences.  I have to say that my family was surprised when I went 15 days without an incident.  Unheard of.  No, seriously, it’s really unheard of. 

We traveled up to north Michigan this weekend to speak at a lovely country church.  We went up the night before and were hosted by a wonderful couple in their home deep in the woods where I had no cell service, where in the springtime bears walk through their front yard and where you walk outside and there is complete silence.  It was pretty awesome.  This couple was so kind and so hospitable.  They cooked us a great meal Saturday night, sprinkled yummy chocolates on our bed, left us a goody bag filled with fun things and just really pampered us.  They even put nightlights between our room and the bathroom to make sure that we could see all right if we got up in the night.  We couldn’t have asked for anything more. 

We all said our goodnights after visiting Saturday evening and I took my stuff and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.  Normally if I’m staying at a new place I look around for things that I might run into if I’m walking in the dark, or things that I might trip over because, well, I struggle with those things.  I shut the light to the bathroom off, opened the door and proceeded to walk to my room (which was about 10 steps right in front of me).  I had failed to remember that just outside the bathroom door there is one step down and then a clear path.   I proceeded to walk to our room.  Even with a little light glowing, I missed the step and I could feel myself going down.  Oh mercy, not again.  I hit the floor and of course the first thing I did was look around to make sure no one saw me.  Seriously, it was dark, who would have seen me?  But I’ve become accustomed to doing that when I fall.  Habit.  I gave a little “Ugg” and picked myself back up and continued into the bedroom telling Brian what I had just done.  My pride was hurt and I knew that I’d have to mark it on my “incidence board” but other than that I was fine.  Then Sunday morning came and as I rolled my ankle around feeling a bit of stretching inside I knew that it was just going to be a reminder to me of the little outside of the bathroom tumble that I took. 

I was thinking about that whole situation and how it’s so much like sin in our lives.  We know the things that will trip us up (sometimes literally) and yet at the time that we least expect it we fall.  I knew that step was there but wasn’t paying attention as I was maneuvering in the dark.  I could have turned a brighter light on in the hallway before going into the bathroom knowing that I do have struggles walking, but I didn’t.  I chose to walk around in the dark figuring that I would be ok.  I think so many times we do that in our Christian lives.  We hang around in the darkness thinking that we will be okay because we know what’s there and then when we least expect it, we fall and we sin.  Instead of choosing to have the light around us we dabble in the darkness, even for a few minutes, thinking that it’s a straight shot to where we are headed and telling ourselves that nothing could possibly go wrong.  My one choice to walk in the darkness caused me to fall.  I’m feeling the consequences of that fall even today in my ankle.  Are you walking in the darkness thinking that you’ve got it covered, that you can make it to where you are headed?  Be careful in thinking this way.  The NIV Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. The Message Bible in the same verse says with different wording, keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. 

You may not be falling down after missing a step, but keep your guard up friends.  Know what’s around you.  If we are Christians striving to live a life for Jesus, the devil wants to trip us up.  Keep alert and keep the light on around you!