Did you know that the Bible is filled with characters who were fearful? Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and Jonah just to name a few. But despite the human flaws we find in these characters, there is still a beautiful God story being written.
Anytime an angel visited a person in Scripture, they would say, “Do not fear.” This concept of fear is woven all throughout the Bible. We tend to think that fear is a disqualifier. That we will be called out because God sees that we have fear. But it is quite the opposite. God allows us to have fear because it requires us to put our trust more fully in Him. If we didn’t have anything to fear or worry about, we wouldn’t have to go to Him for anything. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Courage is not the absence of fear.” When it comes to fear, I often think of Moses, the man of God who was called to lead the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land. But did you know
Moses shared his insecurities with God? Exodus 4:10 tells us, “But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’”
Moses was really insecure and lacked confidence in his ability to speak well. And God was giving him the position of a leader. Well, a leader would need to speak and communicate effectively to be able to share with others the plan God gave him. Instead of walking away and telling God “no,” Moses went to God with his insecurities. He told God of his flaws. And this did not disqualify Moses from what God called him to do. But God was able to equip Moses with Aaron to help articulate the message he needed to communicate. We can be nervous about what God is asking us to do. It’s natural to be fearful. Especially when you get the large scope of everything that God is at work on. It’s a big job that we’re being called to. But we’re not doing it alone, and we’re not supposed to be alone in it either. God is calling us to partner with Him. We just need to say, “yes.”
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:8-9).
So what is God calling us to do? Cling to His word. Get our strength from Him. Be obedient to His call on our lives. Take the words from Joshua 1 to heart. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear. Do not be dismayed. God is with you!