As a little boy, I often spent time at my grandparents’ house during the summer. I spent most of the time watching my grandpa cut firewood. During the evening, I would watch my grandma cook supper. Sometimes I would even spend the night at their house. I don’t know why, but my grandparents’ house was completely quiet. I never heard a clock tick, a board creak, or even the sound of a passing car. It was eerie.
When I would spend the night, I stayed in a spare room near the back of the house. It was often hard to get to sleep, because Arkansas summers are hot. As I was lying in bed one night, I saw something move in the room. I quickly sat up, but I didn’t see what it was. My grandparents didn’t have any pets so it wasn’t any kind of critter in the room. I tried to go back to sleep, but then I saw it again. It was by the doorway, and I definitely saw it moving. My mom and grandma had told me about seeing ghosts once, but I hadn’t believed them until that moment.
I just sat there in bed and watched this thing move. I thought about yelling out for my grandpa, but I didn’t want him to know I was scared. I was eight years old, so I could handle it, right? For what seemed like an eternity, I just stared at it. I prayed that it would not come at me. It almost seemed like it was mocking me. Then the worst thing on earth happened. I needed to go to the bathroom.
My night had gone from bad to worse. Not only was there this thing in the room watching me, it was in the doorway between the bathroom and me. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want it to grab me as I left the room. Scared half out of my mind, I just sat there. Then it happened. The dawn broke through the night sky, and sunlight flooded the room. There it was in the doorway - one of my grandmother’s dresses. The breeze coming through the door had been moving the dress.
I had let fear get the best of me. Fear is a healthy feeling when there is actually something to fear. It keeps us safe at times. There are many times though, that our fears are based on things in our heads. We need to put fear in its proper place. I learned one other lesson that night. If I had only called out to my grandpa, I could have avoided a night of fear.
Psalm 34:4 tells us "I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears." Learn to call out to Christ in those moments of fear, He will bring you peace.
When I would spend the night, I stayed in a spare room near the back of the house. It was often hard to get to sleep, because Arkansas summers are hot. As I was lying in bed one night, I saw something move in the room. I quickly sat up, but I didn’t see what it was. My grandparents didn’t have any pets so it wasn’t any kind of critter in the room. I tried to go back to sleep, but then I saw it again. It was by the doorway, and I definitely saw it moving. My mom and grandma had told me about seeing ghosts once, but I hadn’t believed them until that moment.
I just sat there in bed and watched this thing move. I thought about yelling out for my grandpa, but I didn’t want him to know I was scared. I was eight years old, so I could handle it, right? For what seemed like an eternity, I just stared at it. I prayed that it would not come at me. It almost seemed like it was mocking me. Then the worst thing on earth happened. I needed to go to the bathroom.
My night had gone from bad to worse. Not only was there this thing in the room watching me, it was in the doorway between the bathroom and me. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want it to grab me as I left the room. Scared half out of my mind, I just sat there. Then it happened. The dawn broke through the night sky, and sunlight flooded the room. There it was in the doorway - one of my grandmother’s dresses. The breeze coming through the door had been moving the dress.
I had let fear get the best of me. Fear is a healthy feeling when there is actually something to fear. It keeps us safe at times. There are many times though, that our fears are based on things in our heads. We need to put fear in its proper place. I learned one other lesson that night. If I had only called out to my grandpa, I could have avoided a night of fear.
Psalm 34:4 tells us "I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears." Learn to call out to Christ in those moments of fear, He will bring you peace.