Never Alone

God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

My youngest daughter had decided to join a competition dance team like her older sister and had been excited all morning about attending the first class. But as we got in the car and made our way to the studio, she became quiet.

A few blocks from our destination, she admitted, “Mom, I’m afraid.”

I caught her teary eyes in the rearview mirror.

“It’s okay,” I affirmed to her. “It’s okay to be scared. That’s normal. Do you know what we do when we’re afraid?”

“What?”

“We pray and remember that Jesus is with us, and then we do it anyway. It’s okay to be fearful, but we don’t have to let that stop us.”

She nodded as we pulled into a spot. Her friend Alayna was also in the class, and as the girls headed in, I pulled them aside.

“Do you think there are some new girls in your class?”

“Yeah,” they said, looking around.

“Do you think you could see if there are any that look like they might be kind of scared and go sit by them or smile and introduce yourself?” I asked. Both girls nodded. “See if there’s someone you can be a friend to,” I encouraged them as they walked through the door.

I watched from the window as my daughter’s fear seemed to vanish. She took notice of the other girls in the room, searching for someone else who might be anxious. I smiled at her as she sat by a new girl and began talking to her.

Fear is a normal emotion at any age, especially in unfamiliar situations, but it doesn’t have to stop us from stepping out in faith to try something different. God tells us over and over again in Scripture not to be afraid. I am grateful that he hasn’t given us a spirit of fear; what he has given us is power, love, and self-discipline (another version says a sound mind).

This means that we can walk into a new situation and, instead of focusing on our fear, utilize that power and love he’s given us, knowing that we aren’t alone. God is always with us.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Take action on something you haven’t yet done or pursued because of fear, thanking God for his promise to be with you as you step out in faith.