I’m not a devotee of spiritualist Marianne Williamson, but I agree with her when she says that “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Within days, we will watch Olympic athletes from nations around the world clear hurdles, swim into record books and stick landings. They chose tenacity over fear. Dared to envision themselves in successful activities. Embraced the reality that there is pain with gain.
How many of us choose comfort and mediocrity, over-plan or vegetate because we can’t seem to take the next scary step?
Bestselling Christian author Max Lucado suggests that people actively engage in five activities when contemplating exciting future challenges as well as enormous hurdles.
First, recall the times when God was there to provide you with the energy, courage, hope and passion you needed. Write down a situation when it was apparent God was working in practical ways to help in an activity in which you were involved. If you are unable to readily invoke a memory of your own, turn in your Bible to the stories where God was actively engaged in people’s lives. Then read God’s promise in First Chronicles 16: “Remember His marvelous works which He has done. God’s attentiveness to your life remains steadfast.”
Second, dedicate time to pray. Not only will it require that you quiet your racing thoughts, but you will experience peace, mental clarity and a renewed connection with God. You’ll begin to sift through ideas that are worthy of your attention and step away from those that are not.
Third, ask God to help you discover ways to bring honor and glory to Himself. To this day I’m fortified by the experience we had with my dad in 2006 when we learned his sudden illness was advanced pancreatic cancer and he had little time to live. Fourteen short days following the devastating news he died and when the attending physician came into the room shortly after his passing, he asked me how I was able to react with such peace when there had been so little time to process the news. I told him I had sensed God’s presence throughout those final days and I would have fallen apart without faith that I’d be with Dad again someday. Filled with intense emotion, it was hard to speak, but I understood it was my moment to represent the truth as I had experienced it.
Fourth, move forward. Get on with your plan. You have probably pondered it long enough, itemized the challenges. Turn now to your passion and step forward.
Fifth, don’t stop once you get moving. Be persistent and seek inspiration from this sweet poem, penned by one of America’s greatest poets and university educators, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
“The heights by great men reached and kept; Were not obtained by sudden flight; But they, while their companions slept; Were toiling upward in the night.”
God remains on duty. Partner with Him and be part of the adventure.
