A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Every Day Deserves a Chance: Wake Up to the Gift of 24 Hours (p. 87). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
Fear can be a terrible thing to feel, can’t it? But there is something to understand about fear.
Max says, “The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. Even Christ was afraid (Mark 14:33). But make your fear a visitor and not a resident. Hasn’t fear taken enough? Enough smiles? Chuckles? Restful nights, exuberant days? Meet your fears with faith.
“Do what my father urged my brother and me to do. Summertime for the Lucado family always involved a trip from West Texas to the Rocky Mountains. (Think Purgatory to Paradise.) My dad loved to fish for trout on the edge of the white-water rivers. Yet he knew that the currents were dangerous and his sons could be careless. Upon arrival, we’d scout out the safe places to cross the river. He’d walk us down the bank until we found a line of stable rocks. He was even known to add one or two to compensate for our short strides.
“As we watched, he’d test the stones, knowing if they held him, they’d hold us. Once on the other side, he’d signal for us to follow.
“‘Don’t be afraid,’ he could have said. ‘Trust me.’
Max goes on, “We children never needed coaxing. But we adults often do. Does a river of fear run between you and Jesus? Crossover to him… If you wave Jesus away, joy will die, laughter will perish, and tomorrow will be buried in today’s grave of dread.
“Don’t make that mistake. Give the day a chance. Believe he can. Believe he cares. Believe he comes. Don’t be afraid. Just believe.”
As Max said, “make your fear a visitor and not a resident.” So, no matter what you are facing today would you just trust God, would you not be afraid; would you believe?
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