Do It Afraid | 2 Timothy 1:7.
We often quote the scripture, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” 2 Timothy 1:7. It is a very popular scripture. Songs are even written about it. But the reality is, many of us are scared to death! Life is scary. That is why we do everything possible to find a safe place of comfort and perceived normalcy. The fear of the unknown is just too much.
We stay in dysfunctional relationships, unfulfilling jobs,
bad marriages, abusive situations…because we’re afraid of what could happen if
we leave. At least it’s the monster you know 😕. In a way, this scripture makes
us feel like being afraid is a sin. God didn’t give us the spirit of fear, so
if you’re afraid, then something is wrong with you as a believer. Therefore, many
times we do not move forward and take a leap of faith so that we won’t have to
experience the anxiety of a new uncertain fearful situation.
But I would like to submit that the sin isn’t being afraid
but the sin is allowing fear to paralyze us to NOT MOVE FORWARD. The only way
that God can manifest His glory and power in our lives is if we move beyond
what we know and trust God for what we do not know.
I was afraid of failure. I figured that if I stayed in the
same situation, then I can’t fail, right? I stayed in a job for almost 30 years
afraid of looking for another job because I was comfortable. God gave me favor
when I received the job (I was skilled and knowledgeable, but I didn’t have a
degree) so I figured why rock the boat—even though I was under-paid and
under-appreciated—it was a stable job and I was content. What I did not realize was that if God gave
me this job, why wouldn’t He give me another one more suited for me at that stage
of my life. Unfortunately, I put God in a box. But God wasn’t having it, so
what happened, in 2016, I got laid off 3 months shy of my 30-year anniversary
(oh boy).
The sad part is that this was not the first time I had been
in this situation. In 2001, I was in the same position—over-looked,
under-appreciated—but I stayed in the job because it was comfortable; even
though God told me to leave, I was afraid to move forward. So what happened, I
was unceremoniously FIRED by certified mail! (No face to face meeting) L You would have thought
I had learned my lesson after that but I didn’t.
Well NOW in 2020, I told God, “I get it!” You may ask, “Kendall,
you’re not afraid any more???” Nope, I’m petrified! Scared beyond measure. But
now I understand how to exercise 2 Timothy 1:7 in my life. I do it afraid. New
businesses, ventures, projects, relationships, I do it all afraid. Because now
I know that the God in me will rise up against my fear and give me power, love,
peace, and a sound mind. I don’t let fear stop me but it empowers me to move
on and see the great things that God has ordained for my life. I use my fear to propel me
forward. If it doesn’t work or I get rejected, I try something else and keep it movin'.
I refuse to succumb to fear; I will DO IT AFRAID!
EXCELLENT! "Do it afraid." Taking FEAR out of Afraid! Just like when we were children, we did everything without hesitation... No Fear in our Curiosity. No fear in our learning. We did exactly what you are saying...we naturally and subconsciously used the fear and learn to walk anyway! Thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteGreat perspective..."no fear in our curiosity." Thank you cousin for hearing from God and pushing me to do this. You continue to be an inspiration ever since I was a little girl. I believe God for your life!!!
DeleteWhat a way to jump off that skinny branch and fly. Thanks for sharing this and truly shifting by taking God out of the box!!!! I'm excited for what's next.
ReplyDelete