Threats come from unexpected sources, often of my own creation. One can ignore their presence, but denial does not change the reality of threats exist to our left, to our right, and every other direction we can imagine. When they hit, as one did recently, I find myself wondering how I could have ignored the obvious. The warning flags were there for me to see. Experiences from the past which replayed today are still fresh in my memories. If only I was willing to remember. Every warning, indicator, and preventive insight was available, and yet I still walked into the threat. With the knowledge I am in the present, the threat triumphed, if only for a while.
Being aware of one situation is always a good thing. It is dangerous to drive a vehicle, so be smart about it. It can be risky to go without food, even when fasting is required, so be smart about it. Putting oneself in the company of people who should not be trusted gives potential to a threat, so be smart about it. The list could go on for a long time, so be aware.
Awareness is not the end of things but rather the beginning. Understanding along with a willingness to learn and act is required if the awareness is to have any value. History is important because it gives us the opportunity to avoid repeating the past. As I reflect, I find a recurring irony in my ability to play the fool in repeating obvious lessons. The answer to when will I learn lies in the present moment at hand.
There will be times when one slips up, and threats win the battle at hand. It is in these moments that I appreciate the role individuals close to my heart play in protecting me as best they can and being there as I recover. I am reminded of how priceless their gifts are. Each has followed in Divinity’s footsteps, when He “rescued us from the trampling boot, His love never quits.” (Psalm 136.24)
Thank God, love never quits.
