I don’t consider myself a fearful person generally, but I’ve realised in recent years that there are things I steer away from (or say no to completely) due to exactly that. That realisation was a big factor in drawing me to this devotional book.

I fear what people will think. I fear failing. I fear what people will think when I fail.

I’m learning to consciously remember that God is with me wherever I go, whether I fail or whether I succeed. I’m choosing to declare daily that God loves me a whole lot, whether I fail or whether I succeed. I know nothing I do could affect my standing with him, but it certainly has the power to affect how I see myself. I want to be someone who’s brave enough to follow Jesus, who’s brave enough to step along the path he’s laid out, and who’s brave enough to get up and keep going when I fall down.

I wrote a list of the things I’m afraid of doing. It made me cry. I realise I’ve been telling myself a lie for a while. I’ve been telling myself that if I really, truly knew what God wanted, what my purpose was, then I would do it, afraid or not. I’ve come to realise that’s not true. Honestly, I’m not sure that even if God wrote on my bedroom wall supernaturally I would be brave enough to do the things on my list. (Thankfully for my nerves, there’s been no writing on my wall. So far.)

If I want to keep walking on the path God has for me, my trust in him must be greater than my fears. Or, as I’ve come to explain it to myself, the fear of not being where God wants me, doing what God wants me must be greater than the fear of taking that step. I’m not great at this all the time, but I’m working on it.

I’m going to add to the verses I read everyday one or two about courage and faith. I’m going to recommit to actually reading them out loud each morning.

What do you do (or what will you try to do) to work through your fears? I’d love to hear what you think.