Are You Afraid? Do It Anyway!

Five years ago, I began an amazing, wonderful journey of surrender – asking God’s will to be done in and through me. What a ride it’s been! Writing and sharing devotionals, starting my own faith-based blog and website, working with Christian leaders who endlessly inspire me, and so much more. 

Over these last five years, I’ve stepped into things that have completely terrified me, things I felt many times I was simply not equipped to do. But through it all, I’ve never been alone.

God often asks us to do things outside our comfort zones. But he never asks us to do things he will not prepare us to do! Nor will he put a challenge in front us and not stand beside us.

When we completely surrender all things to God, we take an important step in following Jesus’ example in Luke 22:42: “not my will but Your will be done.” The next step is for us to make sure we are at the center of God’s will. To do that, requires regularly asking Him to show us what His will is and lead us in it. 

But be prepared – you can bet he will sometimes ask you to do some things you’re not ready for. 

Is God asking you to do something making you pause, doubt, or fearful? The truth is, if you don’t feel stretched or uncomfortable in your walk with the Lord then shouldn’t you be questioning whether you are actually in the will of God? It has been my personal experience that being stretched and uncomfortable is “a way of life” when walking in the will of God.

Here are some principles that have helped me understand when God places a call on my heart.           

God’s voice comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes.
Maybe you’re being called to start a ministry, or volunteer at church to be a bible study leader, or give your testimony in front of a large crowd. Or, it could be to leave your current life and become a missionary in Africa. Or write your first book about faith. Regardless, expect it to be unexpected.

God’s call on your life will likely ask you to step out of your comfort zone. 
Why? Because if God only asks you to do things you can already do on your own power, then you get the glory when those things get done. But if God asks you to do things that can only be done by His power, the glory is God’s. 

God will equip you for whatever He asks you to do.
God does not set us up for failure. Just like He equipped Moses, God will supply us with what we need for anything He calls us to do. He will stretch and grow us over time. This does not mean that everything will go smoothly when we follow God’s call. God told Moses that he would meet resistance from Pharaoh along the way but that did not mean that God was not with him or equipping him. 

It’s okay to be afraid.
Did you know that “Do not be afraid” is one of the most repeated phrases in the Bible? God’s calling is coming into God’s presence. Fear is not a sign of a lack of faith. How you respond to fear reveals the level of your faith. Do you let fear paralyze you or do you give your fear to God?

What is God calling you to do that brings up fear, doubt, hesitation for you? What do you do with that fear? How do you respond?

Blessings.