Have you ever known that you were being called to something? I’m talking about that punch-in-the-gut feeling that you need to drop what you’re doing to pursue something else. 

I first had this feeling while in college at Indiana University. My freshman year, I attended my first Little 500, the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. As I watched the women on the track, I thought, “What am I doing in the bleachers? I need to be out there!” 

Now, at that time the last time I had ridden a bike was fifth grade. I didn’t know where to start. I feared that I would not be able to ride as far or as quickly as the other girls. I feared that I would fail. But…by senior year I found myself captain of my team and was more comfortable and courageous on the track than I could have ever imagined. 

Once I addressed my fear, I walked away fearless. 

Recently, I had a talk with a pastor at my church who had a similar story about overcoming fear. As a teenager, he felt called to a life of ministry but ran from this call for a while. His parents founded a church in the early ‘90s so, from a young age, he witnessed the growing pains and challenges that come with a life of ministry. He wanted nothing to do with it! In his words, he wanted to “get a finance degree and make a ton of money.” Finally, though, he realized that God had a different plan laid out for him. And even though becoming a pastor stirred up some fear, he knew that God would never leave his side. 

We too often think that, after God tells us to do something, he just leaves us on our own. This is NOT TRUE. 

God says “Do not fear, for I am with you.” 

God says, “I will be with you wherever you go.”

God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” 

In a recent Faithful Workouts newsletter, Michelle recommended listening to Jennie Allen’s interview with Jamie Winship. If you were not able to, give it a listen here. It’s a three part series where they discuss how there is value in our fear. My first thought was, “yeah right!” But, after listening, I realized the truth in that statement. 

This can be confusing because Scripture tells us so many times not to fear (it is commonly cited that different variations of “do not fear” appear 365 times in the Bible—one for each day of the year). But, we must realize that God is not saying it is wrong or sinful to feel fear. Rather, God is telling us to not fear because He is with us. 

Fear is valuable because it points to the lie we are believing and allows us to break free from bondage from it. During the interview, Jamie Winship said, “The greatest part of who you are is just beyond your deepest fear.” This made me view fear in a whole new light. 

Sometimes, the Lord intentionally drives us into places we are most afraid in order to walk us through it. There is no fear God cannot defeat. Rejection, failure, judgment, uncertainty – you name it. Jesus walked through death itself and came through it, so He can and will bring you through whatever fear is grabbing hold of you. God invites us to fearlessness. All we have to do is accept the invitation. 

In what ways has God helped you to overcome fears in the past? Are there any fears or anxieties currently troubling you that you can bring to God? 

Abbey holds a degree in journalism from Indiana University. Her favorite topics to cover are spiritual development, nutrition, and the importance of community and connection. Currently, she and her husband live in Michigan where she works in active ministry. In her free time you’ll likely find her nose deep in a book, leading group fitness classes, or experimenting in the kitchen.