December 11, 2024 Devo

Some years ago, a woman told me about being asked to teach a class at church. She said she was petrified. She was not a public speaker and had no confidence in her knowledge of the Bible or her ability to lead a class in discussing scripture. It was not her gift, she was sure. So she turned the offer down. But the nagging thought about teaching that class kept gnawing away at her. Even though she literally shook at the thought of doing it, she finally was convinced that God was telling her she needed to. So she returned to the person who asked her and said she would do it. The class went great. God gave her the poise she needed to not lose it in front of the group and the Holy Spirit did some great work in her and those who attended the class. Though she never taught again, she learned that there are great rewards when we trust God and push through the fear.
Joseph made that same discovery. When the angel told Joseph to not divorce Mary, He must have had MANY fears. Fear of being ridiculed. Fear of rebuilding trust with Mary. Fear of what his family and friends would say. Fear of trying to figure out a whole new path to the future. Fear of the immensity of the responsibility of the task of being the earthly father of Jesus. He probably wanted to run. He probably wanted to just say that he couldn’t do it. But somehow Joseph found the faith to push through his fears and do what God was asking him to do. And it was the most defining moment in his life.
Where is fear holding you captive in YOUR life? Where is it that you find yourself feeling a nudge from God that scares you to the core? Maybe it’s stepping up into some role that, like my friend, you feel you just can’t do. Maybe it’s having a hard conversation with someone you know God is telling you to talk to and that confrontation just makes you sweat. Maybe it’s admitting to someone else a struggle you’re having, an addiction you’re dealing with, or a sin you need to confess. Fear is a wall that many of us are afraid to climb.
Everything you want to become is on the other side of your fears. The person you want to become. The strength you want to have. The impact you want to make. Almost everything of consequence has an element of fear that must be dealt with to achieve. Take a look in the mirror. Who is it that you WANT to see in that reflection? He or she is there. Just on the other side of your fear. That’s God’s Word for you today.