See if you can relate to doing something afraid:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was a drop the mic moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because something awesome was said, quite the opposite. As I stepped up to the podium nerves that were already working overtime decided to ramp up a little more.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My shaky hands fumbled the microphone straight onto the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With an inward gasp and nervous chuckle I bent over picking it up. Dying inside, I said, \u201cHow\u2019s everybody doing?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a quick scanning of the room I saw faces of those who wanted to save me, faces of those giggling, faces of gasp and then of course, my face attempting to look just fine with zero embarrassment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I began to tell myself, “God would not bring me to this without carrying me through it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I felt my nerves subside as God\u2019s peace calmed my heart and helped me form my words. This message was for them, not about me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He prepared their heart and I refused to step back again into a familiar pattern when fear kicked in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s convenient and easy for me to hide instead of hone the message.<\/strong> A familiar struggle I battle. No where in scripture does God ask if we are afraid. He simply reminds us to use our faith and remember who we are in him.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGideon knew this battle well too. He hid from the midianites because of fear. We aren’t alone in our struggle with fear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The National Institute of Mental Health reports that public speaking is the most common phobia ahead of death, spiders, or heights. Public speaking affects 73% of the population.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFacing The Anxiety<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAll of us can face anxiety in different areas of our lives. Maybe yours isn\u2019t around public speaking but you would rather take a 15 hour car drive than fly by plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe it\u2019s having someone over for dinner and you break out in a sweat thinking about your cooking skills that seem lacking. So you drop $60 taking someone to dinner that you couldn\u2019t afford to do but it kept you away from the anxiety of having people over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How about going back to school? The sheer terror of failing keeps you in limbo about it, so it\u2019s easier to procrastinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we give into fear in areas of our lives it seems like we are making progress by eliminating things that are hard or scary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It gives us a false sense of peace because that thing isn’t looming over our head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everytime we say no to something we need to say yes to, we take a step back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n