Human Dart Board

Have you ever had those days when you feel like a Human Dart Board? Lately I feel as though I have "darts" coming at me from every direction, and sometimes 3 and 4 at a time, one right after the other. It's not just like it's happening one day here and there, it's everyday lately. I feel I just can't get away from it.

The darts come in all shapes and sizes. Some hurt more than others, but they are all noticeable. Some of them "stick" to me like a suction cup, while others fall off without causing much "harm". They can be the ongoing behavioral problems with one of our girls, or a dilemma with Grandma, or yet another time I didn't do something someone expected me to do. After awhile you just get to the point where you give up ducking to avoid being missed and stand there as they hit. You become something a little less controlled and "together" each time they hit. Sometimes I'm able to laugh about it, but today, after 2 HUGE battles of the will, a long night last night with other relational issues, and being hit with 50 or more darts, all I feel like doing is crying. I'm tired, stressed, frustrated, have been known to be mad at times, grieving, claustrophobic, and ready to give up.

I'm reminded of the passage in Ephesians about the Armor of God. Ephesians 6:16" In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." (NIV) I once heard some teaching that the shields were dipped in some sort of liquid (not sure if it was water or not) before the battle so they would truly extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy.

A dear friend often reminded me in the tough times that all we have to do is ask God to walk us thru second by second. We don't even have to think ahead to the next hour, even minute. Sometimes just thinking of making it through the next second was all we could handle. Maybe you are there today too. Hang onto God. He is our refuge and strength in times of Trouble. (Psalm 46) We will make it through this.