Time to RiseНамуна

Shattering Fear—Embracing Courage

Fear rarely announces itself. Sometimes it slips in masked as caution or humility. Other times, it’s more obvious: a pounding heart, a silent retreat when it’s time to stand up. I’ve lived long stretches where fear and shame kept me quieter than God ever intended. Maybe you have too.

Let’s be real, sometimes it’s easier to blend in or laugh it off than to confront what scares you. But God’s Spirit inside you is stubbornly bold—never satisfied with shrinking back. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7, MEV). When fear tells you to close your mouth, God invites you to open it, to pray, to declare, to dare.

Joshua didn’t feel brave, staring at the unknown. Yet God’s words broke through: “Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9, MEV). The promise isn’t the absence of threat, but the certainty of Presence.

Isaiah writes, “Do not fear, for I am with you… I will uphold you” (41:10, MEV). The antidote to fear is proximity—drawing near to the One whose perfect love expels fear.

You don’t have to conjure courage on your own. Your history, your family, your failings—they might try to define you. But it’s God’s nearness and calling that give you the authority to move forward. Invite Him into the moments where you’d rather withdraw. Ask Him for the courage to speak and live like someone truly beloved.

Fear will try to keep you down, but you were made to rise.

Reflection Questions:

• What situation lately has tempted you to hold back out of fear?
• When you sense anxiety, how can you invite God’s presence right then?
• What’s one bold, Spirit-led step you could take today?

Prayer:

Lord, I confess fear has held me back. Fill me with Your Spirit and remind me that You are with me, even when I feel alone. Give me the courage to take the next step and to use my voice for Your glory. Amen.