Permit me to believe I'm not the only one who gets a little scared sitting/standing beside a moving trailer, whether in a moving vehicle or a LegedizBenz. 

Oh dear, the tension!

Of course, that fear is not entirely without reason. We've heard enough stories of terrible accidents involving trailers to make anyone a little uncomfortable around them.

A few days ago, I was travelling from Lagos to Kogi. Somewhere along the journey, I decided to close my eyes. I wasn't sleepy; I simply wanted to shut out the world for a little while.

A few minutes later, something occurred to me.

With my eyes closed, I was completely unbothered by whatever was happening outside. Whether a trailer was approaching, whether the driver was being reckless, or whatever else was happening on the road, I wasn't seeing any of it.

And there, was peace.

Now, don't get me wrong. Closing my eyes didn't make the road any safer. But it made me realise something: one of the reasons we get so overwhelmed by life is that we give too many things our attention.

We watch too much. We listen to too much. We absorb things we probably have no business carrying. And before we know it, things that should have remained outside have found their way into our hearts and taken up residence.

Sometimes, just shut it all out!

Not every conversation deserves your ears. Not every spectacle deserves your eyes. Not every situation deserves a place in your thoughts.

You see, we really have to be intentional about what we allow ourselves to see and hear. They are among the gateways through which things find their way into our hearts.

Scripture tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence, for out of them flow the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

And how do we guard the heart if we are careless about what we allow through its gateways?

Sometimes, just shut it all out.