Last night, an unusually loud noise echoed throughout our home, reminiscent of a biblical plague of frogs descending upon us. Unfazed, my family paid no heed to frog-pocalypse, but the ever-increasing volume became impossible for me to ignore.
Compelled by curiosity, I ventured into the backyard, half-expecting to discover a distressed bird entangled in some foliage, crying for help. My imagination went wild, and by the time I had taken ten steps past the porch, I was braced for a confrontation with a ferocious den of lions.
This is a prime example of how the mind operates:
We hear a noise.
We ponder its origin.
Curiosity gets the better of us.
Our imaginations take flight.
We spiral into irrationality.
And before we know it, we’ve spun an elaborate, larger-than-life tale that defies all logic.
Terry stepped outside to find me trembling in fear of my own shadow and calmly remarked, That’s a frog, Jill. That’s exactly what frogs sound like.
It was as if I needed a reminder that just because a frog can make a noise loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood doesn’t mean it holds any power. I spent 30 minutes outside, paralyzed by fear of a noise that posed no threat.
It wasn’t the size of Mr. Frog that frightened me; it was his powerful sound.
As it turned out, the source of the chaos was a baby bullfrog. In fact, I’ve encountered insects of a more formidable size. This harmless creature was simply attempting to reunite with his parents, who were beckoning him from the neighbor’s house. And yet, my overactive imagination had convinced me that we were all on the brink of a catastrophic amphibian invasion.
I love anything that provides an excellent lesson for life.
And this one has the word “metaphor” written all over it.
Whether it’s an audible voice or an inner voice, have you allowed irrational words that have no power to harm you to send you into a tailspin?
Practically speaking, the next time you hear a voice that disturbs your peace and sends you to the world of irrationality, ask yourself these two questions:
1. WHO is the source of that voice?
2. Does it align with what you know to be true?
If the words invading your thoughts match up with how a wonderful father would speak to his child (strengthening, understanding, assuring, and altogether loving), then let them into your heart. If they don’t, it’s time to refocus your thoughts on His truth and promises. Remember, your mind is a powerful tool that can create beautiful stories or weave intricate webs of fear and anxiety.
The next time you face a frog-pocalypse, take a deep breath, mute the madness, and turn up the truth. Chances are, you’ll find that the fears and worries you’ve been entertaining are no more powerful than the croak of a tiny bullfrog in the night.
