Facing our Giants (Fears)

I read this note from a friend in South Carolina. He wrote this about his daughter and his first taste of snow - - -

"My wife got Charisse dressed the morning after it snowed and I took her outside. She had a very confused look on her face while I tried to explain to her it was snow.

We stepped out in the yard and I put her down in the snow…she FREAKED OUT! Seriously, it was a complete meltdown…she was scared out of her mind because I had placed her in an environment with which she was not familiar…and it made her VERY uncomfortable.

SO…I scooped her up and gave her a huge hug, told her it would be alright and then walked around in the snow holding her.

She was fine as long as I held her…so…I decided to try to put her down again…and she began freaking out before her feet ever touched the ground!

I tried reasoning with her. I explained to her that the snow would not hurt her. I told her I would be right there with her…but none of that brought her any level of comfort…she didn’t want to get in the snow.

After about 10 minutes I decided that she had to get over her fears. (I didn’t want us to have the kid that pee’d in her pants every time it snowed and refused to go outside!) I knew the snow would not hurt her…I knew I would be right there with her…and I knew the ONLY way for her to get past this was to face her fear head on.

SO…I put her down in the snow, took five steps and then turned around and looked at her.

Yes, she cried. Yes, my heart was hurting to see her cry…but I told her, “Charisse, walk to daddy.” She proceeded to hold out her arms to me…but me picking her up would not have helped her get past something that didn’t need to hold her captive.

So…I said once again, “Charisse, walk to daddy–there is nothing to be afraid of.”

All of a sudden she stopped crying, she literally just cut it off. (Isn’t it funny how kids can do that?) And then she took a step…then another…then another until she finally made it to me (to which I DID pick her up and give her a big hug.)

Afterwards she looked at me and said, “down!” (Which means please put me down!) I said, “do you want to play in the snow?” And she nodded her head yes!

For the rest of the morning she and I played in the snow and had a blast…we built a snowman, I pulled her on the sled…it was awesome! What once held her captive was now something she rejoiced in!"

What a great example of living life. We have to face our fears, whatever they may be. But we have this great promise from our GREAT big God, who states, "I will never fail you nor forsake . . . I will always be with you, you cannot go anywhere where I am not. Seek me and you will find me, ask and you will receive, knock and I'll answer."

WOW!! What a great God we have, but often times we have to get over our own fears in order to fully experience the promises of joy and grace and love God offers us. Our fear can paralyze us from action, but it does not have to be that way in any aspect of life.

More often than we might like, God places us reight in the middle of a situation we fear the most in order to force us to depend upon Him, so we give Him the glory and honor.

God is faithful and if we are fearful just remember, He’s right there, drawing you to Himself and trying to teach you that by keeping your eyes on Him there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

Have a great Thursday!! Remember Joshua 1:9 - -

⁹ Have I not commanded you? "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." What a great promise.