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10-30-2007, 11:09 AM
Walking The Plank!
Don't be afraid... I am with you.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
It's easy to walk across a plank that's on the ground, but raise it a little and it becomes harder. Now, imagine that same plank 30 metres up, without a safety net under it; looks scary, doesn't it? The Bible says: "Fear is crippling" (1 John 4:18 TM). And the more that's at stake the harder it is; white-knuckle syndrome kicks in and you develop a case of the 'what ifs.' Fear is living in the future before you get there.
And among the trolls lurking under the bridge to your future, inspirational speaker Dr. Joan Borysenko cites two things: (1) Fear of failure. She writes: "When I was admitted to Harvard, I was sure there'd been a computer error and that I'd be exposed as a fraud. A lawyer friend of mine stops short of terror every time she has to give a final argument before a jury. Even when you're an expert fear doesn't necessarily go away. Accepting fear as part of the journey, instead of running from it, helps you conquer the fear! (2) Fear of imperfection. This one makes it hard to do anything, because perfectionists set unattainable goals and berate themselves when they can't reach them. It's impossible to learn without making mistakes; so learn, and move on."
God says, "Don't be afraid… I am with you," so ask yourself what He wants and stop worrying about people pleasing. Solomon said, "Fear of human opinion disables [you]" (Proverbs 29:25 TM). When you look back at what you've already overcome you begin to realise that most times failure doesn't do permanent damage - you actually grow through it! So stay focused; with God, you can walk any plank. Who knows, you might even begin to enjoy the challenge!
The Word For Today
Don't be afraid... I am with you.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
It's easy to walk across a plank that's on the ground, but raise it a little and it becomes harder. Now, imagine that same plank 30 metres up, without a safety net under it; looks scary, doesn't it? The Bible says: "Fear is crippling" (1 John 4:18 TM). And the more that's at stake the harder it is; white-knuckle syndrome kicks in and you develop a case of the 'what ifs.' Fear is living in the future before you get there.
And among the trolls lurking under the bridge to your future, inspirational speaker Dr. Joan Borysenko cites two things: (1) Fear of failure. She writes: "When I was admitted to Harvard, I was sure there'd been a computer error and that I'd be exposed as a fraud. A lawyer friend of mine stops short of terror every time she has to give a final argument before a jury. Even when you're an expert fear doesn't necessarily go away. Accepting fear as part of the journey, instead of running from it, helps you conquer the fear! (2) Fear of imperfection. This one makes it hard to do anything, because perfectionists set unattainable goals and berate themselves when they can't reach them. It's impossible to learn without making mistakes; so learn, and move on."
God says, "Don't be afraid… I am with you," so ask yourself what He wants and stop worrying about people pleasing. Solomon said, "Fear of human opinion disables [you]" (Proverbs 29:25 TM). When you look back at what you've already overcome you begin to realise that most times failure doesn't do permanent damage - you actually grow through it! So stay focused; with God, you can walk any plank. Who knows, you might even begin to enjoy the challenge!
The Word For Today