When the phone rings late at night

Do not fear, God is with you and will strengthen and uphold you.

Isaiah 41:10

When the phone rings late at night. The situation may be ordinary, but the story you attach to it can shape the whole day. Not every quick solution is a faithful one. Ask whether the response is wise, not merely whether it makes the discomfort disappear. Fear is skilled at turning possibility into a forecast. Jesus Christ tells the truth about your future even when you cannot see it. Give yourself permission to deal faithfully with today instead of solving forever. Decide whether fear, habit, or Jesus Christ will lead the next response.

What truth needs to lead before your feelings decide what this means? What would it look like to answer the circumstance with that truth?

Lord, catch the old pattern before I follow it again. Give me clarity and courage to respond differently this time. Amen.