In the night.

Psalm 91:5 "You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day,"

Friends at the beach, 2013,  photo taken by twitter.com/AndrewShayde

So one of my struggles is with nighttime anxiety, especially if I am alone. I know others share this fear. It is manageable for me but something that does crop up.

I am not expecting my nighttime fears to be a problem this weekend, when I am sharing a beach house with 15 guys. (This is also why my posts will likely be short this weekend.). My nighttime fears vanish in the midst of so much laughter and conversation. But this kind of intense, beautiful community is more of a "mountain top" experience, not everyday life. (Now if I ever win the lotto, that's a different story).

But in real life, when I'm not surrounded by this posse, I am alone with my nighttime fears. One of my favorite books of the Bible, the psalms, speaks to our longings and our fears. Sometimes they speak from the place of our weakness. Sometimes they speak from a point of strength, even if we don't feel strong.

This psalm reminds me that I am not alone in the night with my fears, as much as it may seem that way. God is present with me, even in the darkest longest night. I may prefer to be surrounded by a gang of friends, but even alone I can find the strength in the night.

God of day and night, Grant us the strength to face our fears and the knowledge that we are not alone in our struggles. Remind us that you are there. Build our communities so we can support one another in our journeys. Thanks. and Amen.