“What will others think about me?”
“Will this negatively impact my relationships at work?”
“How will this affect the reputation and credibility I have worked so hard to build?”
All these questions and more have danced through my mind nonstop ever since I made the decision to participate in the World Race, causing me to have a hesitant attitude toward this journey. You see, I have a problem…I place way too much credence in what others think about me. I enjoy being liked by others, even to the point where I become somewhat of a chameleon, modifying the characteristics I display outwardly depending on the setting I am in at the moment. Yielding at the notion of unpopularity is a trait I cannot afford to have as a leader, and especially as a follower of Christ, yet (if I’m allowed to be real here) this is much more of a struggle for me than I would like to admit…why is that?!
The answer is painfully simple to acknowledge…FEAR. As a male, especially one who likes to lift heavy things, enjoys physical challenges, and strives to emanate masculinity, this is a tough pill to swallow. My knee-jerk response to the implication of being afraid usually looks like this: “No way, I’m a MAN! I’m not afraid of anything or anyone!” And yet, when I take a step back and look at my life, it would appear that this boastful declaration is founded more in fantasy than reality. My desire for acceptance is substantial, and therefore, it is safe to conclude that my fear of rejection is equally significant.
Do you know what the most common phrase in the entire Bible is?
That command, or some variation of the same appears more than 100 times throughout the Bible…why is that?
Fear is the exact opposite of trusting God!
When I allow fear to control my actions, I am implicitly saying that God is not capable of taking care of me…how utterly ridiculous is that?! The God who created the universe is not only more than capable of taking care of me, He also knows what is truly best for me, and because of His immeasurable love for me, will lead me down the path I need most. For a reminder of how massive His love is for each one of us, please check out this video…I pray it pierces your heart the way it did mine.
One of my friends recently shared Isaiah 41:10 with me, and it spoke directly into this struggle for me.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Notice how God doesn’t simply command us, “Do not fear,” and then stop there. He continues on, spelling out five distinct reasons WHY our fears should cease:
1) He is with us
2) He is our God
3) He will strengthen us
4) He will help us
5) He will uphold us
God doesn’t mess around when it comes to His promises; when He says He will do something, He absolutely will, no questions asked…which brings us back to the current situation I find myself in. God spoke three little words strongly to my heart shortly after I was accepted onto this World Race route:
Just. Dive. In.
So what did I do in response to such profound words? I heard them, wrote them down on a sticky note, stuck it onto my laptop…and then proceeded to do absolutely nothing different with my life. Nearly two months later now, here I stand, still dipping my toes into the ocean of God’s calling, trying to figure out if the water is to my liking or not. Just Dive In. “What if this doesn’t turn out how I want it to?” Just Dive In. “What if my reputation suffers?” Just Dive In. “What if my career suffers as a result of taking this time off?” Just Dive In. “What if I don’t have the skills I need to be a missionary?” Just Dive In. “What if I can’t raise enough money?” Just Dive In. “But God, what if…” JUST DIVE IN!
God IS with me, He IS my God, He WILL strengthen me, He WILL help me, He WILL uphold me, His promises WILL continue to ring true in my life…so here’s to leaving fear behind, leaping out into uncharted waters, and diving headfirst into God’s plan for my life, whatever that may look like!
I cannot travel this path alone, so I want to humbly ask for your prayers as I begin this journey into the unknown. I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who has been praying for me up to this point, I genuinely would not be able to do this without the support of your prayers! Thank you for the encouragement you all are to me!
