Giving into Fear... or Not

I’m trying to write this blog, and it's definitely taking me out of my comfort zone. Following Christ, I don’t have any problem getting up in front of the entire congregation and making a fool of myself doing some skit, or speaking about Christ to a bunch of teenagers at the youth detention center, or teaching Sunday school to third through fifth grade kids. I have taught a men’s bible study and led a marriage small group in my home. Why does writing this blog seem like the most difficult thing I have ever been asked to do?

You see, all those other areas are easy because most of the time I am working from a written script or lesson plan that someone else has already prepared for me. So all I have to do is a little memorization or study time, make a few notes, and voila, ready-made study. But this requires me to actually do my own work. I can’t rely on someone else to do the hard stuff while I just be the voice.

I do know that as a follower of Christ He asks us many times and in many ways to step out of our comfort zone. Then the ball is in our court. What are we going to do? Are we going to accept the challenge? In the past, I have backed down or even turned and run from the challenge. I made up excuses: “this just isn’t me” or “I just don’t feel God calling me to that.”

When asked to do something out of our comfort zone, we should pray and seek guidance from the Lord. After you have prayerfully searched His word and are still not quite sure, I think you should jump in and give it a whirl. At least then, you will find out for sure if you can do what is being asked of you.

Exodus chapter 3 is the story of God telling Moses to go to Egypt, be His voice, and rescue His people. Moses was afraid (a wonderful impersonation of me), spending the rest of the chapter, and most of chapter 4, telling God why He should find someone else to do the job. Moses continues his excuses until Exodus 4:14. God’s anger burned against Moses and He sent Moses’ brother, Aaron, to help. Moses wised up and did as God asked, becoming a great tool for God.

The point I am trying to make is: if Moses would have given into to his fear and said "no, that’s not my calling" he would have missed out on being used by God for something huge. The task of writing this blog doesn’t compare to freeing the Israelites from Egypt. But if I or we allow the fear of getting out of our comfort zones to keep us from doing something for God, who knows what we’ll miss? 2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity (fear), but of power and love and discipline”. I pray we listen to God, and not our fears.

WOW, did I really write this? Who would have thought? God did!