We Can’t Outrun Some Things

The option of vertical spiritual evacuation is always present.

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There are some circumstances in life where we can’t outrun what is coming. In these situations, we are not left without a way of escape. With God, there is always another option.

In Oregon where Jan and I live, if you take a trip to the coast you will notice signs along the highway and in communities detailing escape routes in case of a tsunami. Most of these signs direct people to higher ground. This form of escape can involve a long and exhausting run. Some signs warn that a section of a highway or a particular neighborhood is low in elevation and a dangerous place to be if a tsunami were to occur. These emergency evacuation routes are not the only options available.

There is something called “Vertical Evacuation.” This occurs when you find yourself trapped by an incoming tsunami unable to run to higher terrain. A strong structure like a multi-level steel and cement building would allow someone the opportunity to run up the stairs to the top floor and escape the incoming wave. This option saved thousands of lives in the devastating tsunamis that struck Thailand in 2004 and Japan in 2011.

In each of our lives, no matter how overwhelming a situation might appear or how late in the process of the incoming consequence we find ourselves, the option of vertical spiritual evacuation is always present. In times like these, we can’t outrun what is coming. We can only move to a higher place. When faced with certain challenging life situations, trying to outrun the incoming drama and sorrow in our own strength and logic will put us in unnecessary jeopardy, allowing our lives to be overrun, drowning in the approaching pain.

If something life-altering is approaching, don’t run in panic. It never works. The only safe option is to move higher in the Spirit. The stairway to this safe place appears through acts of confession and repentance, allowing humility to form our response to what is surrounding us.  Evacuation spiritually will not remove us from the incoming flood. It will put us in a place where, in the security of the Spirit, we can see what is transpiring from a place of peace and thankfulness that only comes when the Lord, by His grace and mercy, has made a way for our spiritual and emotional survival.

 

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins

Featured Image by Candice Picard on Unsplash

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About the Author

Garris Elkins is a Kingdom Winds Contributor. He and his wife, Jan, serve the global Church through writing, speaking, and mentoring. They live in southern Oregon, tucked away in the foothills of the Rogue Valley. Their shared desire is to have each person learn how to hear the heart of God and become a transforming voice in their culture.