Choosing Faith over Fear

"It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" - Deuteronomy 31:8


I've totally bagged fear. Over it. Not going there. Refuse to participate. Recognize its life and energy-sucking characteristics and have come to know that it isn't anything sent by or endorsed by God. I had a revelation this past week while doing mile repeats on an indoor track in Toronto, Canada (OK, so maybe I feared the Canadian cold just a little bit). The workout was brutal, but a necessary part of preparing for the Boston Marathon in April. It was painful, one of those lung-searing sessions of nastiness during which there are far too many times your heart feels as if it will burst right through your chest cavity. I don't look forward to these weekly appointments with pain BUT I no longer fear them. Largely because I know they won't kill me, and partly because I know they will prepare me for Boston. I see each one of them as another step forward, a break with my past, a conscious decision to choose Faith over fear.


Some are paralyzed by fear and worry, so much so that their present is literally ruined and their future is compromised. Who they wanted to be - their dreams and aspirations - never materialize. Just as well-prepared athletes are robbed of great performances because they mentally give up at the starting line, far too many of us forget all that we have done/been through/experienced/endured and we approach what's in front of us with a deer-in-the-headlights demeanor. I think God just sits back and shakes His head in wonder - like how many times and in how many different ways must I tell you and demonstrate that you are not alone, that I am with you, that you should "Fear not"? It must get frustrating to watch all that lost potential, all that positive energy which could have been channeled to do some really great stuff. There's a reason I tell fellow athletes I coach not too "over-think" the race ahead. Stay in the moment. Savor the moment. Recognize how very blessed you are simply to be competing. And then move forward in Faith, knowing that you have prepared for this and you are not alone. Life will happen. The race will unfold. The tests will come. But you will get through them all. Let go of fear, go on Faith, let God lead the way, and BELIEVE!