Living And Active

The other night I had a bad dream that woke me up. It was the kind of dream that when I woke up I was still feeling scared and emotional. Sometimes it helps if I get up and walk around a bit instead of laying there trying to go ignore the fearful thoughts. But getting up didn't help this time.

I laid back down and tried to sleep, but my fearful emotions wouldn't go away. I knew that when morning came the fear would vanish with the rising sun, so I started to run scripture through my mind and praying for others. As I reviewed verses and prayed, the fearful thoughts dwindled and the grip it had over my mind started to lessen. At that moment I had a mental image of a tangled, knotted mess of squirming yarn that was shrinking. And I knew that God's Word and focusing on Him was releasing the strangle hold of fear in my mind. As I prayed and reviewed scripture it was making the fear dissipate.

I am reminded of a scripture that says "I have hidden your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). By reviewing the scripture I had memorized (hidden in my heart) I was able to stop worrying, and therefore not sin against the Lord. So, as much I don't enjoy bad dreams and being woken up in the middle of the night, I am thankful for the opportunity to trust the Lord and experience the living power that His Word really has!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12