I stood in front of the public showers at the state campground waiting for my nine-year-old son.
When West finally stepped out twenty minutes later, I asked him what had taken so long.
“I didn’t know how to get the shower started,” he replied.
“You just push the red button,” I told him.
“I know, Mom. Somebody finally showed me what to do, but I didn’t want to push it. Bad things always happen when you push the red button.”
After regaining my composure, I considered my son’s dilemma. West feared pushing the red button would cause disaster, but doing so was necessary to get a fresh, clean body that would be ready for a day of adventure.
Fear can keep us from taking steps. Even when God’s leading is clear, we are often immobilized by fear of the unknown and a certainty we know better than He does. We spend more time considering possible catastrophes lurking around corners than moving forward in faith—counting on God’s grace to bless and even pick us up when we fall.
Perhaps your unknown is something big, like accepting a new job opportunity or saying yes to a ministry that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Maybe your anxiety involves a smaller challenge, such as following God’s nudging to invite a new neighbor over for coffee or joining a Zumba class to move toward a healthier lifestyle.
Whatever the unknown, our tendency toward fear and self protection does not come from God. He instructs us not to fear, but to move forward in boldness while counting on His help.
Don’t avoid the red buttons or waste years considering every possible scenario. Ask God to hold your hand and help you push them.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
I've posted your message Pushing Red Buttons on my blog today: jean-oathout.blogspot.com Thanks for sharing!
Sarah, I've posted your post, on my blog today, in the hopes that my readers will better understand that God will help them press through their fears of the unknown in what He asks them to do. I'm having to do that myself at the time, so it was a timely message to me! Thanks for sharing it with us.