Fear or Adventure, Part 1- Deciding To Overcome Fear

What are you afraid of? Tandy shares how she decided to overcome fear, and take on a new adventure by praying and trusting God.

An Exciting Opportunity 

I had an opportunity that excited and terrified me at the same time.  This was something I’d been interested in for several years.  I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve said, “Someday.”  An invitation had just been received from my daughter to join her and a friend for this adventure.

Talking brave was one thing; being brave was an entirely different matter.  No more, someday.  The time had come to make a decision.  Either I needed to go ahead or completely give up on this adventure.  I felt like someone had called my bluff!

Conflicting thoughts competed for space in my mind.  There was a possibility of harm.  I’ve always erred on the side of caution.  This has ensured my safety, but I wonder what the cost has been.

A song that I heard many years ago sprang to mind.  The words, “Everything in moderation, that’s the way it’s always been” pretty much describes my life.  The lyrics go on to express a longing for more. 

This is the stirring deep inside of me that I feel now.  God has many adventures in store for me.  In order to embrace them I need to keep an open mind.  My overly conservative outlook may be holding me back.

I wonder if I’ve played it safe for long enough.  Maybe I need this adventure to take me farther out of my comfort zone than I’ve ever been.  Then again, I’m a woman in her early 60’s that has never done anything that could be remotely associated with risk.  Do I have the courage to participate in something that most people would not consider?

The Bible And Fear

The Bible has much to say about fear.  Several verses from the book of Isaiah come to mind.  Chapter 35:4 says; say to those with fearful hearts,

“Be strong, do not fear…”

Isaiah 35:4

In chapter 41:10 of Isaiah it says:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  

Isaiah 41:10

Then in verse 13:

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Isaiah 41:13

I know this is out of context with what I’m thinking of doing, but I decide to pray about it for a week before making a decision.  If I shouldn’t go ahead, I’m confident that God will let me know.

Deciding To Overcome Fear

During this time I happened to hear a song called, Live Like You Were Dying.  Currently I have my health.  A physical examination with all the required tests was recently completed and no problems were found.  At this point in time I have loved ones who are facing severe health issues.  They are limited in many everyday activities and wouldn’t be able to do what I’m considering even if they wanted to.  I don’t want to look back with regret that I let fear rob me of an adventure I was capable of.

Psalm 73:4 says,

In 3 John: 2 I read,

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 

My body is strong and all is good with my soul.  Maybe this is an indication I should go ahead.

A Quote From Mark Twain

I was looking for a quote to share with a friend when I rediscovered this one by Mark Twain.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  

Mark Twain

This speaks to me more now than ever before.

Everything seems to be lining up but there is one more concern.  That is the cost of the activity.  There are far more practical uses for the money.  There are a few scripture verses about this, too.  In 1 Timothy 6:7, I read,

“We didn’t bring anything into the world, and we can’t take anything out of it.  As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied.” 

If I am satisfied with what I have and don’t want to purchase anything new, I can make this work.

A Decision Face Adventure And Overcome Fear!

Another quote comes to mind.  This one is from Jim Rohn.

“If you want something badly enough you’ll find a way.  If not, you’ll find an excuse.”

This adventure could certainly spark things to write about.  Conquering fear may even fuel my creativity. That seems like a good reason to go ahead.

After prayer and weighing the pros and cons, a decision has been made.  It will take a direct intervention by God to change my mind.  I can hardly wait to tell you all about it next week!

How do you overcome fear? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.