I was at a conference and there were a lot of people. There were about 400 of us in the room and we had round tables and you know, it was busy. We had a session and then you’d have 15 minutes to be able to get up and stretch your legs or go to the restroom and then get back to your table again. And the whole day was packed with each sessions. Well, because there were so many people, and the tables were so close together, I got up at a restroom break, hurried to the restroom line, and came back and my backpack was completely gone. I was devastated. I had traveled to another city in Texas, and in that backpack was all my cards, my driver’s license, my keys to my car, my laptop, all sorts of things that I was absolutely devastated that I wouldn’t have anymore. I wouldn’t be able to get back home, you know, I’d have to organize another way. I wouldn’t be able to get into my house. All of my work would be lost. And so I could feel the panic rising.
So I turn to my friend and I say, “My backpack’s gone,” but just as I do that, the speaker starts to speak. So of course there’s nothing I can do for an hour. So I’m sitting there and my thoughts are racing, and Holy Spirit just said to me, “Hey, calm down. Remember to just be still and know that I am God.” Well, just like all of us, I had the choice in that moment to keep on panicking or to take Him at His word. So I just took a deep breath and I calmed down and I fully engaged in the session.
So then comes the end of the session. Now it’s lunch break. Now I had a longer time to be able to go and look for the backpack, but because I’d had this time to just be still and know that He’s got it, I sat there for a moment and I said, “Lord, can you tell me where the backpack is?” And I saw a picture of somebody. I’d spoken to two tables behind me at the previous break. I got up, went to their table, and right there, they’d already left for lunch. Right there was my backpack, everything still in it, everything fine. And I realized that I must have taken my backpack with me. And when I was speaking to her, left my backpack at her table. Well, I picked it up, put it on my chair, and everything was well. And as I walked away, I just couldn’t help but be so grateful to God that not only did He tell me where my backpack was and make sure everything was okay, but He also taught me a valuable lesson of just being still, listening to Him, hearing His leading and guidance and following it, because then He can help. Right?
So I want to encourage you today that wherever that fear or panic or whatever’s going on inside of you is clouding your thoughts and causing you to be in a turmoil about something that’s happening in your life, take His invitation and stop. Listen to Him, pray about it. Ask Him what’s going on. Ask Him for wisdom and let Him tell you, because it’s His absolute delight to do so. Friend, He knows what’s going on in your life and is actively doing something about it. Why not be still and listen to Him and let Him show you how to walk it out with Him?