Fear: Our response to physical or emotional danger… If we didn’t feel it, we couldn’t protect ourselves from legitimate threats.
In the past few months, I’ve been battling a lot with fear when it comes to this journey that God has called me to. I would have to say that this fear is pretty legitimate. We are traveling into unknown territory to share the Gospel in places that are hostile to such a message. So many “what if” situations race through my mind. What if we come across people who hate Christians? What if we have to meet in secret because we could get killed if people knew what we were doing? What if!?.. There are so many things to potentially worry about. I’ve come to find out that living under the weight of “what if” is a very hard place to dwell.
Fear is something everyone has felt. As stated earlier, fear is necessary to protect ourselves, but I would argue that it can often hold us back from the life we are meant to live. Fear can become a prison that holds us captive. The thing about prison is that you still get fed on a regular basis, you have a bed, and you’re safe when the doors are locked. In the movie, The Shawshank Redemption, Red makes an interesting confession about prison. He says, “These walls are funny. First you hate ’em, then you get used to ’em. Enough time passes and you start to depend on ’em.” Prisons can be safe and comfortable. They can become a known life, a familiar way.
But this is not the life we are created for!
No matter who you are or what you pursue in life, we are meant to live in freedom. However, this freedom doesn’t come without a price. Jesus himself paid the highest price for our freedom. We have to be willing to step out of our comfort zone. We have to choose to get up and fight for it because we have an Enemy that loves nothing more than to keep us in the prison of fear. It’s not easy; it may be the hardest thing we do, but it’s worth it!
I have to admit that I’m still trying to take my own advice. I fail at this so often, but I’m still learning and I’m still growing. Each time, I have to choose to lean on God for my strength to pick me back up and begin again. This road that I’m on requires me to become more and more dependent on Him. It’s scary because God has placed me in a position that if He doesn’t come through for me, I will absolutely fail on my own. But that’s the beauty of it too…because no matter how many times I fail Him, He never fails 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.” Isaiah 41:10
