Did you get spooked this Halloween?

Just a few days ago, on Halloween, Pippy got spooked.
It happened while we were out our daily walk. Pippy had been working on her village off-leash skills, and behaving beautifully. She was perfectly obeying my sidewalk safety rules and heeding my commands. She pranced beside me full of joy, leash-less and free.
That's when terror struck.
The spook came courtesy of an impatient UPS truck driver encouraging a pokey Prius to get a move on but, to Pippy's doggie ears, the sound was as alarming as a Zombie Apocalypse. At least, that's what I gathered from her terror-struck face. The ear-splitting sound sent Pippy into a frenzied state of fear. In the blink of an eye my obedient schnoodle was transformed into a petrified pup.
Completely oblivious of the dangers ahead Pippy went running scared, heading straight for the street.
My eyes must have grown the size of saucers as I watched her paws step away from the protection of the sidewalk and into potential peril on the road. Immediately I sprang into doggie-Mom mode and in my loudest, most authoritative voice commanded "Pippy, stop!"
At the sound of my voice Pippp's paws came to a screeching halt. Slowly, with ears down and shame in her eyes, she stepped away from the road and made her way back to my side. I knelt down next to my petrified pouch and petted her quivering fur. "You don't need to be afraid, Pippy. Just stay next to me on the sidewalk and I'll keep you safe all the way home." 

After our walk, back home safe and sound, Pippy took up her comfortable position on the couch, as dogs are apt to do. While Pippy went on to take a nap my mind went wandering back to the sidewalk to replay the scene so that so thoroughly spooked my precious schnoodle. As I pictured the fear in her eyes I came face to face with crippling fear that I let spook my spirit and haunt my heart. In my petrified pouch I saw my own fear-induced behavior that send me running scared and away from the safety of God's sidewalk.
What puts the fear in me is the horror of troubling test results, financial woes, relational stressors and darkness up ahead. I become paniced when things aren't going smoothly. When the future looks bleak I become as petrified as Pippy on the village street.
In an instant I allow my fear to replace my trust in God's protection. Acting on emotions and feelings of alarm, I flee from joy and head for anxieties. Spooked and scared, I forsake "be no afraid" and forget "do not fear." Petrified and panicked, I step away from the safety of God's will and providence and step directly into oncoming peril.
When struck with such fear, only the voice of my Protector and Provider can break through the street noise and restore my soul back to His peace and rest. With love and grace He welcomes me back to the sidewalk and reassures me that there is nothing in this world to fear. I am safe by His side, walking in the security of His will. As long as I remain faithful to His commands and keep my life life hidden with Him in Christ, He will save me, keep me and preserve my life.
In this world there will be troubling sights and alarming sounds but walking with God on the safety of His sidewalk I need not be spooked and scared.
In the center of His will, heeding His commands and obeying His voice, I can walk in peaceful assurance and all of heaven's joy, assured that the Almighty God will keep me safe all the way home.