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A Cup of Tea

As predictably as tea leaves settle in the bottom of a cup when left undisturbed, I settle for the familiar and the safe. I often try to evade situations that require courage or risk-taking, and long for the comfortable and sedentary places of life.

I’ve learned, however, that comfort and routine don’t contribute to growth and great accomplishment in my life. When I search my personal history for recent displays of courage and faith in following Christ, I find that my list is embarrassingly short, since I am abetted by a constant companion who urges me toward the status quo and away from disturbing risks for God and His kingdom. His name is Fear.

The Problem with Fear

I don’t think of myself as a fearful person, but I notice two troubling trends:

• The focus of my activities and thoughts leans inward rather than outward;
• My posture in new circumstances tends to be defensive rather than welcoming.

Both trends reveal a preference to provide for and protect myself. Fear shows up in conversations I choose, and don’t choose, to have. I see Fear when I forego risks. My choices tell me that, though I say I trust God and He is my life, my actions reveal instead that I trust myself to provide for and protect my present and future.

Hmmm…. This isn’t where I want to be, and I’m not quite sure how I got here. Fortunately, I think I know the remedy.

Places Where Faith and Fear Collide

Fear chases away faith, or faith overcomes Fear. Thus, faith and fear never live together—they collide.

Here are two places where they collide:

1. In my relationships with others I find it uncomfortable for others to know I’m a Christ-follower when they are not. The courage or even the minute risk involved in identifying myself as a disciple of Jesus help push Fear out, and can create further opportunities to exercise faith and take risks.

From whom have you kept hidden that you follow Christ?

2. Faith and Fear also collide in my security and comfort. For example, when I give financially to help others in ways that are costly to me, I create an opportunity to trust Christ to meet my needs rather than depending on myself.

What opportunity do you have to depend on Christ instead of depending on yourself?

Help for the Cowardly Lion

I face small choices each day between playing a part in expanding God’s kingdom, and giving attention to my own safety, security and comfort. I’d like to become a person who regularly chooses the former, but that means I’ll have to make a new friend. Fear has got to go as Courage takes his place.

The good news is that I can change, one small courageous act at a time (see Phil 4:6). And the best of all, the return on that investment includes greater dependence on God and intimacy with Him. I think I’ll start today. How about you?
–FC Editorial Team