30 April 2005

[RED]

Face the Fear

Read 2 Timothy 1:3-14


God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
-2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

ONE summer our family vacationed at the ocean. It was the first time the children had been there, and they were looking forward to getting in the water -- everyone, that is, except our seven-year-old, Sara. Afraid of the waves that rushed the shore, Sara gathered shells and built sand castles while the rest of us played in the surf. But on the third day we all watched in astonishment as Sara began walking out toward the sandbar. As she braced herself for each wave, we could see her lips moving, but we couldn't hear her words.
Later that day I asked Sara what she had been saying. Smiling brightly, Sara said, "I just looked at the waves and kept saying, 'Face the fear,' over and over again."
Sara could have spent the rest of the week watching us from the shore, but instead she chose to face her fear. I have experienced times when I let my fears control, intimidate and prevent me from experiencing something new. How often has God provided me with the talents and gifts needed to do something, but I've been too afraid to use them? We all have fears, but with God's help, I want to be like Sara, who overcame fear by facing it, not running from it.
D. L. Baird (Michigan, U.S.A.)

Prayer:

Dear Father, help us to see that as your children we can face our fears, knowing that you are always there to encourage and strengthen us. Amen.