The space between
Overcoming fear is huge for many of us, including myself. I could tell you of three times in particular where I was stalked and God’s protection rescued me. These three incidents happened many years ago from my teenage years to my early twenties. I had not experienced that fear in a very long time, until a few weeks ago. Within a 24 hour period, God protected me from disaster.
I was traveling home and heard a screeching sound behind me, I saw a car swerve sharply, directly behind mine. The car the flipped over, hit the guard rail and went flying off into the woods. i pulled over to the shoulder so I could back up and check on the person, but many other cars pulled over behind me to do the same. I couldn’t maneuver, so I thought I’d go and turn around to check, but by then, traffic was jammed up. It was an “objects in mirror are closer than they appear,” moment. It seemed surreal because I saw it all happen in the rearview mirror. I couldn’t find documentation of the accident anywhere in the news or online. I wanted to see if the person was okay.
Next morning, I decided to walk my dogs at a local park, as usual. There is always a gatekeeper to check ID’s, so only members get in. This particular morning there was not. I went in anyway, and decided fear was not going to rule me. I parked and walked to the wooded path. A black car slowed and was watching me. I was cut off from my car. Absolutely no one was around. I wondered if I should walk, or go back. The car moved on, so I decided to walk. I saw no signs of anyone until I came out of the woods by the water. A man was coming toward me. I maneuvered to the right, up a hill, off the path to avoid him. He went to his left to cut me off. I went back down the hill and under a bridge, he followed. I realized I was in trouble and walked as fast as I could with my dogs to my van. He followed me, still far enough away for me to get there. He limped a bit, so it was easier to get away. I got to my car and unlocked it, put the dogs in, got in and locked it again. My heart was racing. I was afraid he’d follow me in his car so I got out of the park as fast as I could. I watched all the way home, and took detours, to make sure he wasn’t following me. God had protected me again. “Unless the Lord had helped me, I would have settled in the silence of the grave.” Psalm 94:17
In counseling the next week, we prayed for God to deliver me from the fear that had come back based on those incidences. My counselor asked me to envision being there again, both in the car, and walking. She asked if I saw Jesus anywhere protecting me. I didn’t. I had seen Him before, in other prayer times over past trauma, but not this time. Then I got a sense of, “I am the space between.” I opened my eyes and told my counselor that god had showed me that He was the one occupying the space between myself and harm. He kept the car from hitting me, and He kept the man from catching up to me.
I will never forget this. We prayed through Psalm 91 together to close. Here is some of what it says.
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my god and I trust Him.”
It is a great Psalm to read often. i know I have read it a lot since that day.
God bless your day
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