“Do it Afraid”

Today’s Pinterest Idea is more like a Pinterest thought, one that I have never really expressed.  I also do not normally get this personal about myself or my faith on my blog, so today is a new day…hang on it’s a long one!

I have been struggling a lot lately with fear.  I should say, my entire lifetime I have struggled with fear, worry, and doubt.  I have always been too scared to do things which then caused me to miss opportunities and sometimes even blessings.

I think a lot about when I made the decision to go skydiving and how it relates in my life now.  I almost backed out not once but a few times.  I went down tandem with an instructor and just as the side of the plane door opened and I looked down…10,000 feet down.  I realized I must be nuts to do something like this.  Really?  What was I thinking?  Instantly my hand grabbed hold for dear life onto the side of the plane.  All I can remember is the instructor peeling each finger off as I had a death grip on the plane.  Then, he said jump and I trusted him…and there we went.  By the time we got to the ground which was a crash landing, it ended up being one of the most thrilling, amazing experiences of my entire life.  I will never forget it.

Sometimes, I feel like I get like that with God, I’m sure many of us do.  When, He says it’s time to jump we hang on as tight as possible to the things we are comfortable with.  We forget that God is going with us, we are not going alone we are going tandem; He has our back and is carrying us.  Sometimes, we have to let God peel our fingers off the things that hold us back and JUMP!

I always had the desire and will to do my best; however, even when I was offered my dream job, I got scared and ran. I took hold to fear and stayed where I was comfortable.  Sometimes I have even been scared enough that I took the lesser position just in case I might fail or do something wrong.  I would accept less even though I knew I could do more or I could be better, because of the fear that beat me down.

This past year, I jumped…a big jump for me at the time.  I quit my job and took the risk at running this website and developing other opportunities that stemmed from it.  I let God peel my fingers off my comfort zone and lead the way into what He had planned for me to do next.

Fear.

It has eaten me alive at times.  This is hard for me to admit because I like to think that I live a very strong life based on faith and the belief that God “works for the good of those who love Him”.  I do live with this belief, but in the back of my mind fear or the enemy likes to creep in and destroy the plans God has for me.

After a recent conversation with my sister about teaching from Joyce Meyer on Fear, I landed on the article ‘Do it Afraid‘.  This simple post spoke volumes to me.  It spoke about how it does not matter if you are scared or afraid, you ‘do it afraid’ and overcome.  When I jumped out of that plane that day, I did it afraid.  Scared silly, and what happened?  When I got down to the ground, I was ready to go again!

God called us all to do more and His plan is going to include things that we are afraid of, but we have to ‘do it afraid’ one shaking knee at a time and hold onto His hand.  He will carry us through.

The next day, I woke up and checked my email and my sister sent me this to print out to post on my mirror or wherever I may look.  Then, I ‘pinned’ it.

Fear will be defeated by triumph and an overcoming spirit.

So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 41:10