Have you ever been asked to do something you’ve never done before? Or maybe you’re facing the unknowns of life and you’re not sure what your future holds? Fear may be knocking on your door and you need to replace that fear with faith. I know, this is easier said than done most times. The only thing fear and faith have in common is that they both have a future. And, how you move into that future is up to you.
Even if fear has struck you, don’t allow it to paralyze you. Do it afraid.
First Corinthians 2:1-5 was an encouragement to me when Paul said, “And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come as someone superior in speaking ability or wisdom, as I proclaimed to you the testimony of God. For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God.”
Just as Paul entered Corinth after a previous discouraging experience (Acts 17), the disappointment didn’t stop him from doing what God called him to do. Although he entered his next assignment in weakness, fear, and trembling, he still moved ahead.
He did it afraid.
If Paul, while experiencing fear, could walk into his next mission, so can you. Remind yourself that God goes before you and will make a way when there seems to be no way; knowing He is on the other side of your uncertainty allows God to show His power, not your own strength.
I believe as I read through the Hall of Faith chapter in Hebrews 11, I see men and women who did what God called them to do with a little bit of fear in their steps. Although they may have been afraid, they allowed faith to override the fear they felt to do what they were called to do.
Let’s look at some of these faith-filled people and their calling.
- Noah prepared an ark for the salvation of his household and the demise of the rest of the world (Hebrews 11:7).
- Abraham left a familiar place to go to an unknown country with only the direction of God (Hebrews 11:8).
- Sarah conceived a son at her old age (Hebrews 11:11).
- Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh, choosing to endure ill-treatment and leave Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king (Hebrews 11:24-29).
- Rahab kept the spies secretly in her home (Hebrews 11:31).
Just like these great people of faith, I am sure fear and faith tried to occupy the same space in their minds, but faith prevailed. The same is true of us, but which will you allow to win—faith or fear?
Yes, it seems like we live in uncertain times. And while I still believe this is true, I am starting to accept that we all live uncertain lives. While God’s truth and our eternal destiny in Christ are certain, many other factors in our lives are a bit unpredictable and unclear at times and cause fear to try to grip us. It is the nature of the journey. This is why you and I must still move ahead, even if we do it afraid. Doing it afraid will cause you to rely on God’s strength, not your own.
Recently, our pastor shared a portion of Brennan Manning’s book, Ruthless Trust, in which his daily devotion brought the point of uncertainty home for me. He shared the story of John Kavanaugh, the noted and famous ethicist, who went to Calcutta seeking Mother Teresa … and more. He went for three months to work at “the house of the dying” to find out how best he could spend the rest of his life.
When he met Mother Teresa, he asked her to pray for him. “What do you want me to pray for?” she replied. He then uttered the request he had carried thousands of miles: “Clarity. Pray that I have clarity.”
“No,” Mother Teresa answered, “I will not do that.” When he asked her why, she said, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.” When Kavanaugh said that she always seemed to have clarity, the very kind of clarity he was looking for, Mother Teresa laughed and said,“I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”
As my pastor continued his devotion, he encouraged us with these words, “There is something in all of us that always wants clarity. It is part of our sinful ego and a common expression of our insecurities. Clarity can become an idol that replaces authentic trust in God. In many ways, we would rather understand the details of the road ahead than rest in deep intimacy with the God who has promised to direct our steps.”
Scripture tells us, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8). We must pour out our hearts and all they contain—praise, gratitude, worry, fear, doubt, and, yes, uncertainty. God is our in-the-moment refuge—our arrow prayer receiver-but not always a divine GPS system revealing the details of each turn we might encounter one year down the road. Thus, we must trust Him at all times and watch for unexpected surprises along the journey.
As I look back on the road I traveled, I am thankful God didn’t reveal the whole journey of my life in one viewing. If He had, I am not sure I could have endured. Instead, He gives you portions of your journey as He reveals His ways through each day of your life.
No matter what you are facing, He wants to be at the center of it all. He wants to be your guiding light, your deepest longing and your brightest reflection. He wants to be the best part of your day!
And, when we allow Him to be our focal point, it will make moving ahead a little more acceptable even if we do it with some fear—do it afraid!
Journeying with Him,