surrounded.

I have recently felt surrounded by a lot of things: school stress, anxiety, love, anger, support, hurt- all the things. It’s been a crazy time in my life. Two days ago I heard a song: This is How I Fight My Battles by Bethel Music.

“It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.”

That lyric repeats over and over and over again. As I listened, I found myself drawing a distinction between what distracts me and what surrounds me.

Satan and his fiery arrows are hard not to look at. They are hard not to be scared of. They are hard not to feel surrounded by. BUT, the reality is that we are completely surrounded by Christ and his plan, prudence, and protection. Let me draw a picture for you.

I have only been to a few aquariums, but one I went to in Tulsa has a huge shark exhibit. As I walked through the infamous shark tunnel, I watched creatures that terrified me swimming above and beside me. They surrounded me. I found myself afraid when I first walked in: what if the glass breaks? What if somehow I end up in that tank? Then I remembered. It may look like I am surrounded by sharks, but I am surrounded by firm glass that has withstood the pressure of water and weight for years. I am safe.

The same goes with life. It may look like I am surrounded by people who want to hurt me, things that threaten to crush me, or even things that bring me great joy. Ultimately, none of that matters. They are a distraction by what truly surrounds me.

“He will hide me in his shelter on the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of his tent.”

- Psalm 27:5 -

Those things are what distracts me, this is what surrounds me. This is what conceals me. This is how I fight my battles.