Sometime ago Liz and I took the grandkids swimming at the health club. Our gym has a giant thirty-foot water slide for the kids. Grandparents are not allowed on it, at least that is my official position. Our little five-year-old granddaughter came over to me and said, “I want to go down the waterslide.” She took a breath and then added, “I wish I was used to it.”
Kids often make profound statements, and this was one of them. It is a profound truth that great opportunities often come with great anxiety.
But, If you will face your fears, they can bring great blessings.
Personally, there have been many things in my life that I wanted to do, that I needed to do, but that I was afraid to do. Sometimes doing the thing was forced upon me and after a while, I was no longer anxious about that previously fearful act. I just had to get used to it.
Everyone at first is afraid to speak in public, lead a prayer, or ride a bike, or drive into the water.
I have often enjoyed listening to others talk about the first time they ever taught or prayed in public. They can usually describe that event in great detail. They were all afraid.
We must not let fear keep us from doing any number of things we want and need to do.
Winston Churchill said, “If I do that which I fear, fear will leave me.”
Remember the words of Paul to Timothy and to all of us, “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Tim 1:6-7).
After our then-little five-year-old got used to the waterslide, she had a great time. The next time you have a daunting task before you, just smile and say, “I will get used to it.”
In the end, you will have a great blessing.
Lonnie Davis