We are 9 months out until launch. It’s too far out to buy my plane ticket to training camp. I don’t even have my passport yet, and I just recently started fundraising. You might think that the learning starts when you leave the states, but that is far from the truth. I only entered this journey a short time ago, but so far, I have learned more than I can ever imagine. Right now, God is teaching me about fear.
I know that the phrase “do not fear” is in the Bible enough for every day of the calendar year. I have seen God do amazing miracles, and know that he is capable of more than I can even dream up. That doesn’t keep fear from creeping into my life.
As I continue to prepare for the World Race I fear that…
I am not doing a good job of explaining why I feel called to do the World Race
The “coolness” of travel will overshadow the One we are doing it for
Others around me don’t see the same value I see in this opportunity
I won’t be able to hit my fundraising goal on time
I’m not prepared enough for the ministry ahead of me
I don’t have a clear plan for what I will be doing when the race is over
Because I’m graduating early, I’m leaving behind some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for
There are numerous, valid reasons to be afraid, and many of them, I don’t have any control over. However, what has stood out to me even more is that fear changes you as a person. And I have come to realize that I don’t like the person that fear turns you into.
- Fear can make you selfish-minded. It is impossible to put other first when your mind is trapped in a world of your own deficits.
- Fear brings out a lack of trust in God. Of course, we face situations in life that warrant some sort of nervous response, however, fear insists that you don’t trust what God has in store.
- Fear robs you of joy. Every moment that is spent being afraid is a moment that is overlooking the joys that God gives us every single day.
While there are many valid reasons for me to be afraid, I hope to remove these insecurities from my mind. Philippians 4:8 sums it up for me:
“In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.”
Joy is something that we choose. It’s different than happiness because it doesn’t depend on our life circumstances. Being joyful is not a feeling or a mood but a conscious choice. Yes, choosing joy can be difficult depending on where we are at in life, but it is something I am striving toward every day. Will you focus on the fear, the storm, and the ugly? Or the joys that are found in the journey?
