I grew up in a big, old farmhouse, and recently remembered an event that really traumatized me as a child. My bedroom was one of four rooms upstairs. From time to time some aunts, uncles and cousins would come to visit from New Jersey. My room was the biggest so that was the first one given to guests.

One weekend two sets of relatives came to stay, so I would be sleeping downstairs. In the morning we heard some horrific news. My uncle who had been sleeping in my room was awakened during the night, feeling something by his feet. He jumped up with a kick when he realized something was nibbling on his big toe. It was a rat!

Now, living in an old farmhouse, we were used to seeing mice often. But never rats! We don’t know where that rat came from, or why it decided to nibble my uncle’s toe that night, but my Dad caught it in a trap the next day. It was sent away for testing, and thankfully was not rabid.

The other family who slept in other rooms that night never came back to spend the night again. And I didn’t blame them. I was so traumatized that I refused to sleep upstairs for quite a while. I was already a scared-y cat just seeing the mice. I caught a glimpse of that rat in the trap, and there was no way I was taking a chance of one nibbling on my toes during the night.

But rats aren’t the only things that can nibble on us. So what’s been nibbling at you during the night? Have worries, cares and concerns been eating at you, night or day? Do fear and anxious thoughts plague you, robbing you of peace and rest?

Jesus has an antidote for all these. He tells us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27).

What does the world give to us? We can expect all kinds of trials, sorrow, and suffering, including sickness, disease, death, fear of the unknown, the economy, wars, unrest, division, strife, to name a few.

Yes, there are many things to fear and worry about. But we don’t have to choose fear, worry, anxiety and care. We can choose to receive the peace of God that passes all understanding and hope as an anchor for our souls. These are only available by putting our hope and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. He has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Yes, bad things still happen to good people, and God’s word tells us we will have pain, sorrow and tribulations in this life. We live in a fallen world where evil abounds and we have an enemy that is only out to steal, kill and destroy.

But we don’t have to go through trial and suffering alone. We have a God who loves us with an everlasting love, a God who desires only good for us. We can choose to cast our fears and cares on Him because He cares for us. We can choose to give our worries and anxious thoughts to the Lord and let Him carry them. We can choose peace.

Hope Ministries is a Christian counseling center, and we are here to help. If you would like to speak confidentially with someone, give us a call at 845-482-5300..