It seems everywhere I turn lately someone is complaining about their allergies. Today alone, I heard several frustrated pleas: “Ahh, the allergies are flaring up again…”, “My face won’t stop itching!”, or my favorite, “I am going to poke my eyeballs out with forks!” Kathlee, the desk assistant that sits just across from me in the office has been twitching and itching all morning. Watching her reminds me of a restless sheep shaking its head to keep flies from incessantly landing on its furry face (except Kathlee does not have a furry face).
Either image—the subjugated individual overwhelmed with summertime allergies or the frenzied sheep overwrought with buzzing flies—shows explicit frustration with an immediate problem. Frustration to the point of desperate action. If you have ever watched a sheep struggle with swarms of flies surrounding its face, you’ve probably seen that the animal will do anything within its power to make the problem stop. Generally, the simple-brained animals will proceed to puzzling extremes to fix a fly irritation. Most of the time, they will just begin banging their head against the closest solid object to attempt to swap the vexatious little creatures. Sometimes the sheep will literally bang their heads until they bleed. Their problem becomes so immediately overwhelming that they think it is their only escape.
It’s strange how much we can be like those sheep—letting our immediate problems or preoccupations inhabit our minds until it literally drives us mad. Many times our response is to fix the issue—even if it means banging our head till we bleed. I have found myself doing this recently—letting the enemy plant ideas, problems, and distractions in my mind that I play over and over again like a broken record, letting the preoccupation circle and circumnavigate its way into my continual thoughts and heart. Then, I find that I am dwelling on my troubles to such an extent that I try to fix the problem for myself—I try to hide the problem, divert my attention from it, cover it up with excess spiritual activity, whatever it takes to remove it! I become like a stubborn little sheep, banging my head against the fence to find aid instead of letting the Shepherd come in and deliver me. The Shepherd wants to come and give us renewal by the transforming of our minds. (Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way that you think” NLT). We no longer have to live inside our minds—we can have freedom from the buzzing flies that won’t leave us alone. The Shepherd has come that we might have peace—shalom—that is utter completeness and soundness of mind. Let the Shepard come in and fix the incessant flies and allergies of your mind. Let Him tread in the midst of your troubles and lead you beside quiet waters. Let Him prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies. When those enemy-like thoughts don’t vanish—cry out to the Shepard. He will come, tend to you, prepare a banquet for you in the midst of the troubles, anoint your head with oil, and fill your cup to overflowing (Psalm 23).
The Shepard, our Lord, is the great fly swatter of flies and He is like Claritan’s sweet relief to any allergy! Let Him transform your thoughts and bring freedom, rest, and most of all, a continual peace of mind.
Either image—the subjugated individual overwhelmed with summertime allergies or the frenzied sheep overwrought with buzzing flies—shows explicit frustration with an immediate problem. Frustration to the point of desperate action. If you have ever watched a sheep struggle with swarms of flies surrounding its face, you’ve probably seen that the animal will do anything within its power to make the problem stop. Generally, the simple-brained animals will proceed to puzzling extremes to fix a fly irritation. Most of the time, they will just begin banging their head against the closest solid object to attempt to swap the vexatious little creatures. Sometimes the sheep will literally bang their heads until they bleed. Their problem becomes so immediately overwhelming that they think it is their only escape.
It’s strange how much we can be like those sheep—letting our immediate problems or preoccupations inhabit our minds until it literally drives us mad. Many times our response is to fix the issue—even if it means banging our head till we bleed. I have found myself doing this recently—letting the enemy plant ideas, problems, and distractions in my mind that I play over and over again like a broken record, letting the preoccupation circle and circumnavigate its way into my continual thoughts and heart. Then, I find that I am dwelling on my troubles to such an extent that I try to fix the problem for myself—I try to hide the problem, divert my attention from it, cover it up with excess spiritual activity, whatever it takes to remove it! I become like a stubborn little sheep, banging my head against the fence to find aid instead of letting the Shepherd come in and deliver me. The Shepherd wants to come and give us renewal by the transforming of our minds. (Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way that you think” NLT). We no longer have to live inside our minds—we can have freedom from the buzzing flies that won’t leave us alone. The Shepherd has come that we might have peace—shalom—that is utter completeness and soundness of mind. Let the Shepard come in and fix the incessant flies and allergies of your mind. Let Him tread in the midst of your troubles and lead you beside quiet waters. Let Him prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies. When those enemy-like thoughts don’t vanish—cry out to the Shepard. He will come, tend to you, prepare a banquet for you in the midst of the troubles, anoint your head with oil, and fill your cup to overflowing (Psalm 23).
The Shepard, our Lord, is the great fly swatter of flies and He is like Claritan’s sweet relief to any allergy! Let Him transform your thoughts and bring freedom, rest, and most of all, a continual peace of mind.
The fly mask of faith...? :)
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