  |
Newsfeeds |
| Sign up for E-newsletter | |
| International Church Bulletin | |
Search the Bible  |
|
| Embracing Fearlessness |
|
|
|
|
Provided by http://www.greaterstlchurch.org/ Theodore Roosevelt once stated, “The credit goes to the man who is actually in the arena—who at his best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at his worst at least failed while daring greatly—so that his name shall never be among those cold and timid souls who know neither defeat nor victory.” Fear is a part of life as we strive to live a Godly life and do what is right in a world that does not understand true character. The only way I have found to diminish fear is to seek out a comfortable status quo, one that allows me to avoid taking a stand that is unpopular, to stay out of the arena. But obviously this is not God’s plan. His desire is to accomplish more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21) as we put our trust in Him (Psalm 37:3-6).
I once heard it said that courage is not the absence of fear, but action in spite of fear. Fear can be our master, or it can be our motivator. I have too many times allowed fear to control my actions, shrinking away from what is right to do. Those times are marked with self-focus, preservation of pride, and guilt. I do not remember one time that I left feeling encouraged after giving in to fear. John Maxwell wrote, “Anytime you concentrate on the difficulty of the work instead of its results or rewards, you’re likely to become discouraged.”
On the other hand, fear can produce the focus and energy necessary to work through difficult situations. By studying many well known individuals throughout history, especially in the Bible, key moments notable for record were times of facing and proceeding into adversity. There were many threats and punishment directed toward the first century church, but as Acts 4 indicates they did not let their fear cause them to hide. Rather, they prayed for boldness (verse 29), then “were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (verse 31). We are Christians today because of their courage and faith.
My personal hope and prayer is to constantly grow into the likeness of Christ. That transformation will allow me to know and to do God’s will. But always before me will be Satan’s arsenal of fear, ready to glorify my human nature instead of seeking the cross of Jesus. I need the full armor of my Father in Heaven to step into the arena. I need to fight the battle. I was created to fight the battle. What I am given here on earth is not as important as what I leave behind. My tombstone will have my birth and death dates, with a dash in between. Let’s all courageously fight together so that our dash will have a meaningful impact forever.
“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel….Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:19-20 |
|
| Last Updated: Monday, 10 March 2008 |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Theodore Roosevelt once stated, “The credit goes to the man who is actually in the arena—who at his best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement ...