I was out on a bike ride today with my sister and brother-in-law.For all intents and purposes it was a pretty uneventful ride.  However when a bee flies into your helmet it can make life very interesting.

I was almost back to my starting point when it happened.  I nearly wrecked as I stopped my bike stripped off my helmet and got it to go away. Then I heard in my mind a message I’ve heard many times before and it seemed particularly apt. Don’t panic. As I was going back to pick up everything after having gotten rid of said bee, I thought about this and realized how badly I had handled it and could have easily been stung. I can remember years ago my father telling me that if you’re not flailing about when a bee comes near but remain calm your less likely to get stung. Because flailing about is going to scare the bee, where as if you remain calm and even visualize him going away he usually does.

It doesn’t always work. Sometimes I’ve been stung or bitten for no apparent reason other than just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But by and large, the best thing to do is to remain calm. Easier said than done. So it is with other life situations. That seems to be a lesson I’m having to learn the hard way a lot these days. I’ve had some situations come up recently and other people got to see what happens when I get a panic attack. It’s not pretty.  Had I remained calm, I could have saved myself and them a lot of grief. Some of the things that have come up, I could have handled better. But as I’ve thought and prayed about it, my thoughts have been what would the Lord have me do with this. Where does he want me to be? I’m reminded of a verse in Proverbs that says,5 ¶Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

In following and trusting in the Lord, I have not been lead anywhere that I shouldn’t be. He will lead me there and guide me safely homeward if I trust in him and if I don’t panic. A certain amount of courage and faith is required for this as well. I’m reminded of a line from Czech folksong that is often sung by choirs called Waters Ripple and Flow.  “…Wherefore falters thy faith? Why so timid thy heart?” Left to my own devices and wisdom, I could easily let fear and panic overtake me and pretty much self destruct. But he who calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, raised the dead, and healed the sick can and does guide me. If I don’t panic and I let him. Which again brings me back to my title; don’t panic. It usually doesn’t help matters.

3 people like this post.

Like

Unlike