Thursday, July 23
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.
—James 4:17
Fear
can shut us off from the possibility of encountering or experiencing what is
unknown, even though it may be life-giving. Perhaps, it is the unknown that
is at the center of what we fear. How do we move forward when we are afraid
and there is so much uncertainty?
Because we are unique and diverse
individuals, our fears are unique and diverse. Scripture reminds
us that God does not give us the spirit of fear, but rather the power of
love and a sound mind. (II Timothy 1:7) God intends for us to be empowered
and emboldened rather than being slaves to anxiety. Uncertainty, on the
other hand, shows up in each and every decision we make. There's no getting
around it.
We can render the decision-making process in our lives much
easier by merely choosing to do the right thing without fail. If we choose
to do the right thing, rather than the convenient thing, the expected thing,
the comfortable thing, the usual thing, we are not held any longer by
uncertainty. Instead we leave our uncertainty in the hands of heaven,
where it will be treated without bias.
Neither fear nor uncertainty
need keep us from enthusiastically jumping into the possibilities of life.
Heaven always jumps in with us.
Gracious God give me the strength to do what is right even when I am fearful and uncertain.
