There is a saying that has been around for a good while, which originated a hundred years ago or more in New York City. In the early 1900’s, industrialization and manufacturing was booming in big cities like New York, and with that came a population jump. The increase in people created the need for cheap tenement housing.

The layout in these tiny spaces was generally the same, meaning bedrooms stacked on bedrooms. Late at night, as people were getting ready for bed, they’d start by taking off their shoes. Just like most of us do now, the shoe comes off and is simply released to fall to the floor. Imagine how many of those shoes were heavier work boots. Now imagine laying in bed waiting for your upstairs neighbor to get their shoes off so you could go to sleep. No doubt the sound of that shoe would be startling, especially if you’d just dozed off. As soon as one shoe falls, there is the interminable pause before the inevitable second shoe does the same.

Often in life, we find ourselves waiting for our own version of that other shoe to drop. When we go through seasons of life where we feel as though the hits just keep on coming. It begins to feel like the shoes are landing right on our heads instead of the ceiling above. What we fail to remember is that after the second shoe falls, we get a reprieve until the next night.

Yes, there are always going to be more shoes falling in the night, and we can certainly allow ourselves to be ruled by the dreaded anticipation. But we can also choose to use our time between shoes differently. Instead of walking in fear of the next struggle, we can appreciate the fact that God provides so many ways for us to survive every struggle, thus we needn’t worry about anything yet to come.

It’s easy to lose touch with the person of God… to fail to grasp who He is and how unfailingly He loves us. I read a scripture this morning that really brought me a much deeper understanding of who my Heavenly Father is in my life.

“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’” John‬ ‭14:9‬ ‭AMP‬‬

When I consider the life and person of Christ, I think of patience, gentleness, peacefulness, love, acceptance, consistence, having courage, willing sacrifice, protectiveness. Even in His final hours, He begged for forgiveness on our behalf, in spite of all He endured at our hands. THAT is God. It was God who touched the lepers. It was God who stood up for the adulterer. It was God who showed love and compassion to the prostitute. It was God who forgave Judas.

He isn’t standing with us in human form, but He is most definitely still standing with us during every moment of every day. When you next feel alone and overwhelmed, close your eyes and think about who Jesus was as He walked the earth. Then remember that He is even closer to you than that… He is literally inside of you for as long as you walk the earth. He guides you towards the things that will help you survive. And when you spend time with another believer, His presence becomes even more palpable and more powerful.

Stand together and help one another stay closer to God, thus further from the fear of the many shoes of life.

“For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”” Matthew‬ ‭18:20‬ ‭AMP‬‬