Isaiah 41:10a – Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. (NLT)

I stared at the button that read "Reset Settings", thinking that it might solve my issue. Fear, however, kept me from clicking it.

Computers seem to have a mind of their own. Sometimes, an update will change the way something performs, or I may accidentally press a key combination and find my computer doing things never done before.

Once, my computer stopped giving me prompts when I typed in specific words that I'd typed in previously. It was not a huge discomfort, but when I'm in a hurry, I save seconds by clicking on an email address or my own name rather than typing it.

So, I had my tech-savvy friend take a gander. After trying a few things unsuccessfully, we came to the dreaded "Reset Settings" button. He said, "Click on it." I feared what might change. He told me not to worry. If it changed something, he could fix it. So, I clicked, and all my missing functions reappeared. I had languished in aggravation for a month when I could have stepped out in faith.

Fear may be a natural human emotion, but it often gets in the way when serving God. It has stymied God's people on more than one occasion. Fear led Abraham to lie about his wife. Fear kept Moses from wanting to approach Pharaoh. Fear made Gideon ask for a sign assuring him of God's presence. And fear made the disciples think that they were going to die in a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

Fear has kept me at bay a few times as well. What would my friends think if I served God instead of the addictions that they did? How would I pay my bills if I left everything to attend college and study for the ministry?

An old saying comforts me: "If God leads you to it, He will lead you through it." Trite? Maybe, but true nonetheless. God never takes us where He hasn't already been in His plans. He never asks us to do anything that He won't provide the means and sustenance for us to do. "Fear not" should be our battle cry as we move out into the unknown lands of God's will.

Where does God desire to take you that fear won't let you go?

Prayer: Father, give us the courage to follow wherever You lead, with the confidence that You'll go before us. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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