I’ve felt pecked at a lot these days. Have you? Pricked by the not-good-enough vibes. Cut down by hasty words spoken, negative thoughts zinging, social media feeds touting unrealistic pictures of beautiful women with smoother complexions cooking better meals saying catchier catch-phrases than what I could ever possibly achieve. All I want to do is pull the covers back up over my head sometimes. At least when such soul jabbing comes ‘as the crow flies,’ or so the saying goes.

Crows are bullies, after all. They peck and peck at the eagle to disorient him. They attack for the sole purpose of keeping the eagle down, keeping him distracted and discouraged long enough to steal food, take straw from his nest, mark territory for their own. But in spite of the crows’ domineering ways, all the eagle has to do is one thing to get away.

Fly higher.

The crow is no match for the eagle’s wing span and his 10,000-feet flying altitude. The crow can’t keep up when the eagle mounts up its wings, when he takes off, when he soars up toward the heavens where the wind blows clearer and the air breathes so much fresher. So, if you’re feeling pecked and poked and picked on today, remind yourself of Isaiah 40:31.

“…but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Then take a lesson from the eagle.  Fly higher. Get into God’s Word. Spend time in His presence. Sit with a worship song and let it sing Truth back into your soul. Life can feel pretty bleak right now, but God isn’t. He’s always stronger, always sturdier. And He has the lifting power to redeem, resurrect, and restore.

*First published by The Joyful Life Magazine.