On December 23, 2022 we experienced a blackout. We don’t experience them very often, so it triggered anxiety for my son.
He kept unplugging the light from the battery pack then back into the wall socket, saying “light on!” and pacing when nothing happened.
We tried to explain that it was a blackout, that we had no control over it, that we needed to wait.
But all this gave him were the words to continue protesting.
“Bye, bye blackout!”
“Bye, bye control!”
“Bye, bye waiting!”
Then he started listing parts of his nightly routine. “Happy Journal, stories 10 o’clock!”
I assured him that we would still do our normal routine and gathered him into the layers of blankets on the bed.
I could feel myself starting to get anxious, and as you know, kids grift off our emotions. So I tried a different tactic, one I just wrote about in my blogs, challenging myself to practice what I preach.
“Caleb. We have everything we need. God is with us. He promises us peace. So let’s pray. Thank You, God for our home that is protecting us from the cold outside, for warm blankets, that we are together as a family, that we have a battery pack and a fireplace to keep us warm. We pray for the power company workers that are going outside in the cold to try to fix the power. Thank You for their bravery. Protect them and keep them safe…”
I have to admit that these promises–to be with us, to give us peace, even as I was praying I wondered–is this enough? But I noticed that as soon as I began to pray, as soon as I focused us on God–He showed up and bridged the gap of my doubt. The prayer led organically to thanksgiving and listing the things God had already provided us. I could feel my son calming and settling into my arms. And I began to calm and settle.
This spontaneous prayer reminded me of 1 Thessalonians 16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
In praying and giving thanks in our circumstances, we received the peace God promises us. We received what He wanted for us in that moment.
And it was enough.
God’s presence and His promises are enough. His presence changes us and our approach to the difficulty. His presence inspires thanksgiving and protects our peace.
I need to be more intentional about passing this onto my son, because he will face difficulty, and at one point he will face difficulty without me there. I want him to know he can reach out to a God who loves him and who will always be there, no matter what circumstances he finds himself in.
Lord, thank You for being with us, in this brief blackout that came on the heels of my post “Peace in the Storm.” Because You waste nothing, my son and I had this opportunity to practice what You have been teaching us. We have gathered evidence that Your promises are true and that Your presence is enough. We love You. Amen.