Crossing Bridges
Hi. My name is Sarah and I’m a bridge crosser and a worrier.
Before you judge me, please let me explain that it is not an entirely bad thing. One of the ways I deal with hard things is by preparing and having a plan. I pack my backpack with helpful tools and I face hard things pretty head-on.
The problem is, I sometimes try to prepare for problems and hard times that don’t even exist yet! And it uses up valuable mental and emotional resources that I need for other things.
Many years ago, early in our ministry, this came up as I was talking to a lady who was older and wiser. David and I were preparing for a ministry move and I was sharing some of my fears with her. Without making me feel stupid for worrying, she reminded me gently. "Sarah, God gives us grace for things when we get there. You don’t need the grace for that now, because you’re not there yet!"
I have had to choose to surrender to the truth many times, and it helps!
My good friend Jesus said it this way, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mt. 6:34). I mean, he’s not wrong, is he? Most every day has enough stuff in it that needs my mental and emotional energies.
So why is it so easy for me to borrow trouble? To worry about crossing a bridge that I may not even have to cross? Well, for starters, I’ve seen a lot of grief. I’ve seen things go very wrong in lots of ways. And I’ve heard enough stories to give me quite an imagination of all the ways things could go wrong. So this bridge-crossing is how I deal with some very real fear. It helps me feel in control. But that is an illusion. I’m not in control of tomorrow. But my Abba is.
So lately, He’s been saying very gently to me…”Sarah. Just stay with me!” When I’m pulling ahead, solving all the problems, pre-grieving, building little protections around my heart. He’s like “Sarah, it’s not up to you! I’m here. Stay by me.”
I’m all hyper-focused on the bridge that I may or may not ever have to cross. And Abba is gently turning my attention to what I have now. I have Him! Blessing upon blessing. A pool of living water, refreshing grace running all around me, right here, right now. I think I’ll just sit and soak a minute.
Takeaway Tools:
1. Identify when I am crossing bridges early
2. Open my hands and bring the fear to the Father, holding nothing back.
3. Focus on the present. Look around me. Practice gratitude. Do the next right thing.
