It’s NOT a scary post and there are NO pictures!!! I just had to say that up front so you will hopefully continue to read 😉. Also let me please tell you that this is a longer post. I have tried to prune it, but sometimes I just need more words 😉 …..
God often amazes me with His ways to fight my fears and grow my faith. I try to remember His words about faith and fear, but sometimes it just takes a while to sink into my brain. With this particular fear, it took over 50 years. This fight with my snake fear may seem trivial or a strange example to some. Regardless, I have found that my faith in God is strengthened with every fear He helps me fight 🙂.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight — we are of good courage”
2 Corinthians 5: 7-8a NASB 1995
Living here in Alabama, we have snakes… a lot of snakes. Since childhood, I’ve had an almost unreasonable terror, some would even say phobia, of all snakes, both good (non-venomous) and bad (venomous). A few years back the Lord helped me see that this fear was getting out of hand. Even pictures of snakes would send a wave of terror over me. The older I got, the worse the fear became until it developed into sheer terror. I can deal with spiders, bugs, and even lizards sneaking into the house. I will even pick up Grandaddy Long Legs spiders. Just don’t come near me with a snake!
Trying to walk by faith as the Scriptures tell us, I started realizing that this particular fear was becoming unhealthy and I needed help! God, in His wisdom, and maybe a little in His humor, saw fit to answer my prayers, but not quite how I expected. 😉
Not long after praying, two events helped me face my fear/phobia … First, I stepped about 6 inches from the nose of a long chicken snake. Let’s just say that my delayed reaction (it took about 2 steps to process that I had just nearly stepped on a snake) was quite dramatic with all kinds of running, yelling and general “carrying on” as we like to say here in Alabama. 😉
Not long afterwards, I casually stepped over a long, kinked up rope, or so I thought, in our basement. My hubby had been kneeling there just a few minutes earlier while getting ready to work in the yard and I wondered why he left a rope stretched across that main walkway. About 2 steps later, a thought hit me … I don’t think that was a rope😳! I turned back … it was a long, skinny rope all right, with a head 😫!!! It was either a king snake or rat snake still stretched out peacefully. I’m no runner, but I probably broke some world records heading up the stairs and outside to the hubby. He rushed to the rescue to see the snake’s tail as it went into hiding.
Neither of us ever saw that snake again … although I imagine it saw us!!!😳 I was certain that snake would get in the car, or sneak up the stairs into the house, or fall on me when I had no choice but to walk in the basement. I had to pray a lot to overcome that terror and God truly helped me! He grew my faith in Him to provide for all my needs, even fighting snake fears.🙌
Back to that chicken snake incident, I have to tell you that after my carrying on ceased, I walked back a bit and watched as that ‘ole snake slowly made it’s way across the concrete and down into the grass. It stopped beside a brick to scratch an itchy neck, then proceeded on across the yard to wherever snakes go. The hubby had rushed to my rescue and asked if I wanted it killed. No. I couldn’t let him do it. When that snake slowly scratched it’s neck as if it didn’t have a care in the world, it was like a change happened inside me. That really was a “good” ole snake who would eat mice and other destructive critters. It wasn’t hurting me at all and it didn’t try to bite me when I walked by. For that matter, neither snake tried to strike or bite me and certainly didn’t chase me down! Thank You Lord!!!
Here’s the thing … God started changing my heart by helping me realize first, that this fear was unhealthy. Next, He impressed upon me to pray for His help. Then, He gave me two experiences to help me become more realistic in my view of my fear. (Honestly, I am very grateful that He didn’t let them bite me too!!!😳).
With all of this I am learning some critical lessons … Satan can take our natural cautions in life and feed us lies causing fear to become unrealistic. That holds us back from having Faith in God. Unrealistic fear can even escalate into unnecessary terror. Since childhood I have heard stories of “Black Racer” snakes that would chase you down if you walked into their territory. Those thoughts would almost petrify me. I lived in terror of any snake that would see me, chase me down, and bite me. That is unrealistic fear! Neither snake even moved, much less chased me!
Over the years, each trial I face helps me grow in trusting God with every concern, worry or fear no matter what it is. The snake experiences helped me face that specific fear, begin to be delivered, and walk more in faith.
Now, this is just a small example of deliverance from fear. Everyday fears can grip us but there are also fears caused by health responses. As a nurse, I want to encourage those who suffer with anxiety disorders and/or depression. Know that this can be a very real physical response sometimes beyond a person’s control. Pray to our Lord who loves you more than anyone and talk with your health care provider to learn if there is a medical treatment. Our Lord will help you because He loves you!
We never saw that snake in the basement again. But I got to thinking … on another positive note, we had not seen any evidence of bugs or mice in the basement either. Who knows? Maybe it ate them. That was about 4 years ago and I still occasionally look up to just be sure it’s not literally hanging around 😃.
Undoubtedly, God works in mysterious ways. I am grateful that He has used this sneaky snake fear fight to help me recognize other fears and realize that they are interfering in life and hindering my faith in Him.
Dear friends, thank you for persisting and reading this unusual and longer Faith Walk post. Thank you also for following “Hope and a Dash of Humor”! May your Faith Walk be full of courage and free from snakes!!! 😃
God bless you as you walk by faith!
Kim 💕
Hope and a Dash of Humor 