Face your fear

"He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" Mark 4:39-40 NIV

“Dogs!” I yelled out as I approached each one of the homes on the new route I was running Sunday morning. “Dogs! Dogs!” I repeatedly shouted over and over with my weapon drawn, ready to defend myself in the event of an attack. Fear... many years ago it limited me. I had been the victim of a dog attack that could have been deadly but by the grace of God. For several years to follow that experience, I chose to run one “safe” route, paralyzed by the fear that it would happen again if I ventured out. That’s what fear does. It immobilizes a person and keeps them hiding in their “safe” place. Thankfully though, I eventually learned that having a weapon and calling out my fear gave me the courage to go where the Lord would lead me. So now, rather than cowering and fearing what may or may not be around the next corner, I call out to my fear—ready to face what scares me, confident the Lord has given me what I need to fight it. 

And you know, without a doubt there are many things happening in our world right now that could cause us to be paralyzed by fear. And that’s exactly what the enemy is counting on; because fear will keep us from stepping out of our “safe” zones to share the Good News and speak Truth to a world so desperately in need of hearing it. It will also keep us from extending a hug or handshake to someone who needs to feel the love of Jesus. But guess what? You and I have no need to fear anything when we remember that Jesus has the power to call out the very thing we fear and say “Quiet! Be still!” just as He did to the storm the disciples feared; a storm that no doubt paralyzed them. Yet with two spoken sentences from our Savior, “the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

So if fear has you paralyzed today, I urge you to dig into the Word and rediscover just how big and powerful our God is. After all, if He can rebuke the wind and waves with a simple command, there is nothing He cannot do. So fear not my friend. Step out in faith to do what He is calling you to do right now.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that You are all knowing, all powerful and always beside us. Help us to overcome our fears with the faith that You are in complete control and can change the course of events with a single command. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Peace be still