Do It Scared

How often in your life do you look back and regret having not done something or you feel like you've missed out because of Fear? How often have been challenged to do something and didn't because you were scared?

2 Timothy 1:7 "for God gave us a Spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control"

There are so many times in my life that I feel like I missed out and that I regret. There are lots of fun experiences with friends and lots of opportunities to minister that are lost due to fear. Fear of failure, fear of looking like an idiot, fear of looking like a "know it all", fear of truth, fear of being hurt, lots and lots of fear. I have so often allowed feelings to rule my heart and life. I have allowed my feeling to dictate my level of obedience.

Well, this weekend the Lord decided to rip that part out of me and pretty much shove it in my face and say "See this...THIS right HERE, I am taking this. We are done with this Cherish MICHELLE. No More of this. You will walk in FREEDOM and you will be OBEDIENT. GOT IT!!! Just TRUST ME...I've got YOU!!!"
I was so taken aback by how bound I am in fear and how it has bled into every aspect of my life, from my marriage, to my children, friendships, ministry, and of course my relationship with GOD. I've played it cool and done just enough to get by, but that is so trivial in comparison to living Under the FULL Authority of God in my life. Well, that certainly was not the end of it.

Later, that day during free time, I was put face to face with two of my external fears, heights and murky water. I HATE BOTH with a passion. I don't know about you, but heights freak me out, as it does alot of people, and murky water...well for crying out loud you can't see what is swimming around you or what might be about to eat you. Yes, I went there...I don't want to be eaten and that speaks to my fear of drowning but I kind of faced that and now I love to scuba...ONLY IN CLEAR WATER. Anyway, during free time there was the opportunity to do a zipline (heights) over and into a lake (murky water). Several of my friends were so pumped to do this and reverting to my junior high days of not wanting to be a scaredy cat I totally succumbed  to peer pressure. I was still scared to death but I was determined to be done with FEAR and really wanted to face this. Well, I climbed the ladder to the top of the zipline platform very confident that I could do this while also reciting to myself "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power,and a sound mind" over and over. I reached the top and of course looked out and down and panic consumed my soul. If my dear friend, Jaime, had not been up there I probably would have turned right back around and climbed down. However, my sweet friend began to speak over me. She spoke into my heart of courage and faith, strength and power. She embodied I John 4:18 in that moment.

I John 4:18 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

She showed such love and I cannot begin to express how in that moment her being there, speaking over me, ministered to me. It so deeply and profoundly affected me. So I did it and to be honest I DID IT SCARED. I stepped off that platform, with help from Jaime's count down, and I flew. It was so liberating and freeing. The fear was gone and surprisingly, I did not flip out when I landed in the murky water.

To face those fears and to overcome, was so liberating. However, I soon realized after swimming to shore that I had hurt my hand. Apparently, when I let go of the zipline handle, the rope that wrapped it, had frayed and caused a blister type of cut/sore just below my ring finger on my left hand. It was minor and small but it began to bother me more and more. I washed it and it stung, I held stuff and it would be rubbed and sting, I couldn't even hold my husband's hand, wash my face, or change a diaper without it hurting.

God used this little cut on my hand to show me that there may be times in my life when I step out in faith that I may get hurt and in all likelihood pain will come, but it didn't kill me, and I'd certainly not change a thing. So what did I do... I did it again. I went down that zipline again, hurt hand and all,and LOVED IT just as much as the first time.

Y'all, to often we allow our fear and trepidation to dictate our level of obedience. We miss the freedom and joy that obedience can bring. We need to stop trying to to control the situation and just obey and Do It Scared. We need to step off the platform that we may be clinging to and dive into the unknown. We need to believe that Christ will cast out our fear when we step out in Faith and Believe.

God has so much He desires to show us, and such depths that He desires to take us to, if we will only believe that He is who He says He is. Y'all He is GOOD. HE is FAITHFUL. Most of ALL...HE IS SOVEREIGN.

Will you allow Him to Reign Sovereign in your life? Will you believe that He will give you eyes to see much more than you ever imagine conceivable?

Let us step off and believe and trust that He is and Always WILL BE.

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

DO IT SCARED but JUST DO IT!!!