Several years ago, my daughter, then a Junior in high
school, took a job at a local fast-food restaurant. She was looking for a bit of independence and
some extra spending money. True to her
nature, she invested herself into that job.
She learned quick, worked hard and rarely ever missed a scheduled
shift. Over the next 4 years, Emily
received several promotions and minor pay increases. But the frustrations with both management and
fellow employees became a nagging problem.
Those frustrations along with the heavy workload did not match the
minimal amount of pay she received. On
several occasions, I encouraged her to consider leaving that job for something
more lucrative as server at a higher end restaurant, but she refused choosing
instead to “put up with” her situation in fast food.
Finally, one day a co-worker and close friend left the
fast-food restaurant to take a job as a server at another establishment. This was the catalyst that led Emily to
finally make the move. She applied her
work ethic to the new job and learned quickly.
She was excited to be compensated in relation to her work efforts. Emily worked her way through college with that
job, and later saved enough money to move from our home in Indiana to her own
apartment in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
She has made a comfortable life for herself, and I’m convinced that her
willingness to take some risks in life will lead her to a place of deep faith
in Christ serving others as He calls.
Our daughter’s life has unfolded as it has because she
learned to overcome her fear of the unknown.
When we do not know what to expect, or what might happen if we take a
certain road, fear will take root. And
if we allow that to happen, we jeopardize the life that God wants us to
live. We will fail to run on all
cylinders. Staying in a known “comfort
zone” can lead us to become a slave to fear of the unknown.
As Christians, we overcome these fears through trust in
God. In Paul’s letter to the
Philippians, he writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7). At some point in
time, Emily had to put her faith forward and take the leap out of her comfort
zone. She needed to get past that
anxiety and trust that God would lead her in the right direction. That leap led
to great things and a much-needed boost in her confidence level.
Christian rock artist, Zach Williams wrote the single, “Fear
Is a Liar”. The chorus is a poignant reminder
that we should put our faith and trust in God, and not the world:
“Fear, he is a liar
He will take your breath
Stop you in your steps
Fear he is a liar
He will rob your rest
Steel your happiness
Cast you fear in the fire
‘Cause fear he is a liar.”
Are the “what ifs” and the I don’t
knows” stopping you from fulfilling God’s divine call in your life? Has the fear of what we cannot see caused us
to hide in our “safe places”. Our
reluctance to act, nestled warm and safe in that comfort zone may not only
adversely affect our lives, but also the lives of those that Christ calls us to
serve. Don’t allow fear to rule in your
life. Listen, and be led by Christ.