Never again will I fear obeying God, I vowed.
With my heart pounding and throat throbbing from screaming, I stepped off the Kraken roller coaster.
What possessed me to agree to ride the 153-foot high, floorless beast with my daughter? “Never again,” I said when she begged me to get back in line to experience the seven inversions, sixty-five-mph sea monster that hung us upside down and caused the tips of our hair to dangle in the water.
At times, I’ve agreed to do something, all the while petrified at the thought. I’ve stepped out and given a speech or volunteered to coach a youth drama team and later been glad I accepted the offer.
Spiritually speaking, I also have a never-again list. At the top is the reminder that I will never again respond to situations with fear and timidity. I’m not talking about natural choices, like riding the Kraken, that should be reserved for adrenaline junkies. Instead, I’m referring to spiritual situations, like talking to a stranger about Jesus or praying for someone on the phone.
When opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus present themselves as I interact in the community, speaking up or stepping out does not come naturally. As an introvert, praying silently for the person is much easier.
I once ignored the prompting of the Holy Spirit. One day, a neighbor saw me in the post office and tried to strike up a conversation. I quickly spoke and then hurried along, ignoring the voice inside, telling me to pray for her. I reasoned that she seemed perfectly fine. Then later in the week, I heard she had died. I was devastated.
God will sometimes ask you to step out and be His hands and feet. Will you shrink back in fear or say, “Never again will I fear?”
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Mel Tavares is a writer.