Walk Run Soar: Discovering God's Presence on Life's Trail Shembull

Battling Fear on the Course Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-­7 When I set out for a run this morning, I was greeted by ominous fog. I could see only a few steps in front of me on the path. I didn’t know what I would face ahead. I couldn’t anticipate any curves or hills or other people along the path. My mind began to race with the fear of the unknown. I’ve been battling with fear these last few weeks. My mind keeps returning to fears of family members getting sick, financial worries, not having enough time to get my work done, or another cancer diagnosis for a loved one. The fears even build up in my running life when I am fearful of getting injured, getting sick, or not having enough stamina to get to the finish line. Then there is the fear of failure, rejection, and shame that creep into our lives and thoughts. Sometimes I sit with the fear of what might happen if I step out in obedience to where God is leading me. I don’t know about you, but I can make myself sick with worry and anxiety if I focus on all there is to fear. When we let fear overtake us and put us in the corner cowering, we may never step into our calling. We may never experience the abundance God has for us each day. The apostle Paul wrote a letter to Timothy, who was like his dearly loved son in the faith. He wrote to encourage Timothy in his role as a pastor. Second Timothy 1:6–7 serves as an exhortation to Timothy to keep his spiritual gift alive. Paul writes, “Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” (hcsb). God’s Word says to “keep ablaze the gift” He gives us and not to hold back because of fear and timidity. When I was a little girl, I used to be afraid of the dark. My mama made me memorize 2 Timothy 1:7. She trained me to recite these words aloud whenever I was afraid. As I would repeat the words “power, love, and sound judgment,” the courage would rise up in me. We can do the same today. Let’s turn our focus away from fear and toward faith in what God has given us. When you are running through the fog of life, shift your perspective and determine to put your eyes on what is right in front of you instead of on the fog much further down the road. Soon, that fog will lift, and you will have space to soar again. FAITH STEP: Write down three fears you might be facing in your everyday life. Then cross out those fears and write new words next to each one, replacing them with praise and gratitude to God for what He has given you in this season.