Fear
"That night the Lord said to Gideon, 'Get up! Attack the camp, for I am handing it over to you. But if you are afraid to attack, go down tot the camp with Purah your servant and listen to what they are saying. Then you will be brave and attack the camp.'" Judges 7:9-10
[Jesus said] " Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done."
Luke 22:42
While doing my small group study this week, I was reading about how prayer provides us with confidence in decision making.
But what I was struck with more was how God made allowances for fear. Gideon was being asked to attack a huge army with only a few hundred men. And Jesus, well, even if you aren't a Christian, you know what the Bible says about Him. His prayer above shows us He didn't want to die.
There are other examples of men being asked to do things they didn't want to do. God knew what He was asking of these men. He allowed for their emotions, their fear. It seems as if He expected it, and He addressed it.
God knows me, and He knows my fear. He desires my obedience, despite the fear. He offers to keep it for me, but He doesn't ask me to cover it up. The decisions I make sometimes require me to step boldly into the unknown, trusting in Power beyond my own. But despite these requirements, my bold steps are usually timid tiptoes.
It's ok. Godly men who walked before me had these same emotions, and godly men after me will as well. My Father knows. But He is bigger than my fears, my worries. He can take it, and replace it with bravery.
But even if the fear clings to me, still I must make my choice (good or bad), and still He will be near.
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