One of the things I am not fond of in my new Florida life is my exposure to cockroaches. The bug at first paralyzed me - I couldn't even move when I would see one. Fortunately, every time we would have one in our apartment Josh was home and could kill them. That is until a few weeks ago when I moved something and there it was, and there we were, me and my kids, having a stand off with the cockroach. I did kill it, but I wiggled and made some crazy noise while doing it. So gross.
For 3 weeks straight we had pest control come and spray. Finally after week 3, we haven't seen a cockroach for a few weeks. Until last night. And honestly, never would have thought this, but I think God is using this disgusting cockroach matter to show me something in my own life.
So obviously you see the issue - no matter how many times we’ve had pest control come and spray – the cockroaches just keep coming back. I think God is wanting me to see that I've been doing some "pest control" in my own life. I’m just temporarily taking care of surface problems, while these awful critters are still alive and active, finding their way back in.
It makes my body tense, not able to relax and enjoy our home when I am on constantly looking around for cockroaches. In my relationship with God, he wants me to feel at home, able to relax with him, but I am looking around for little things (or big) to go wrong, thinking what will drop next. I feel defenseless against the “critters” and instead of just saying – it’s just how it is, they are just bugs that really can’t harm me (I think), it’s part of the experience of life here on earth, I am tense and fearful. Or I wonder if I am doing something wrong (like not vacuuming enough or whatever),
Maybe God just wants to use things in life to say – "Jen, we've got a situation that keeps coming up. You've tried to get rid of it your way, why not try to ask me about it." And I also sense that he is telling me that even though I am scared, nearly paralyzed, that he is wanting me to trust that he's got it under control even if I do still see "critters" I don't like from time to time. Allowing him into my every nook and cranny is scary, but I think it will be worth it (!) - I mean perhaps one day I could stop calling pest control all together, but if not, I know there will be no cockroaches in heaven!! (ok that's not theologically sound I admit - but you get the point)
Psalm 103:12-14
New Living Translation (NLT)
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.