It was a great day to drive home with my car windows down. Radio was up. I was singing… loudly. The people in the car next to me were staring as I pulled up to a stop light. As I was in the middle of doing a drum solo on my steering wheel, this little thing caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. As it was running across my windshield, out of reach of my wipers, I audibly said, “Noooo,” in a slow motion type of voice. (At least that’s what it sounded like to me.) At that point, it was a race. A race to see if I could get my windows up faster than a spider could get inside my car. Luckily for me, I won. The spider was denied entrance into my vehicle.
But for the next 40 minutes, on my way home, I chose to drive with my windows up. I really wanted to enjoy the weather. I so wanted to have my windows down to enjoy the fresh air. But I let a fear of spiders win out. I let the fear of something so small prevent me from doing something I really wanted to do.
I’ve noticed something, I’ve let this happen in other areas of my life as well. I’ve let fear be the determining factor in whether or not I do something I know God is asking me to do. I’ve let fear prevent me from trying new things. I’ve let fear prevent me from being the person that God’s called me to be. I’ve seen it in my kids, Carter and Morgan. I’ve seen it happen in the lives of students. And it sucks. Because, in the end, for me at least, I look back in disappointment and sadness. I look back with regret. But, that’s what fear does. It traps us in its sticky web and sucks the life out of us.
You see…
I could have crushed the spider had he entered my car. He was a lot smaller than me. It wouldn’t have even been a match. But I let fear rule my world for that 40 minutes. And I’ve let fear rule my world in bigger areas of my life and endeavors.
But, here’s the thing…
God can crush whatever we’re afraid of – whatever fear that holds us captive. But we’ve got to open the window and let God do what God does. Because that fear, whatever it is, is a lot smaller than God. It’s not even a match.
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”2 Timothy 1:7 (Amplified)
Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.Psalm 34:3-4 (NIV)
One last thing… I’ve noticed that when I’m letting fear rule my life, I’m making it out to be about me. When in reality, this life isn’t about me – it’s about God. Everything I have… everything I have to offer… talents and abilities… comes from God. And when I turn my focus off of me and focus on God, my fear turns off.
