Why Be Afraid

"That which we fear might happen to us — might be the thing to produce deep faith in us. Why be afraid of anything — when He’s using everything?"
-- Ann Voskamp, "A Holy Experience"

Need I say anymore? I love this quote. I believe this quote. I have lived this quote.

It's not that I welcome the bad in. I don't look forward to hard. Easy and calm are so comfortable. But I think it's more a way of life. A perspective to combat our fears. When we struggle or when we hurt it's a place to turn. It's a promise (Romans 8:28).

My son was given an opportunity. A mere blip on the screen of life, but I'm seeing it as a life lesson. He joined a club at school, a problem solving club. It's literally not for everyone. He actually wasn't even asked to join. It was his interest in it that began a conversation about him participating. His teacher said it's difficult. It starts out okay but as the year progresses it gets harder and harder. For some kids that's too much. We were asked to consider whether or not we wanted to put him through that. From day one his interest in being part of it hasn't wavered. The more I thought about it the more I wanted him to have the chance to try. Just because something is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.

Life is hard. Although I don't want life to be hard for my kids I do see the value in it. The hard stuff develops character and perseverance (Romans 5:3-5). It molds our faith. Because when we begin to realize that there is worth and value in the things we have to work hard for, then we are more likely to surrender to it, appreciate it. If everything was easy, would we ever turn to God? It's in the trenches that we meet God and understand how much we need Him.

Maybe we could do without the painful losses and the deep wounds and scars of things that "shouldn't" have happened to us, but for me, I learned more about myself and God because of what I've had to deal with. And I can look back on my past without wishing this or that never happened because I know and have seen how God has used it for my good. I wouldn't be who I am today without having to face the hard stuff. And I don't have to live in fear of what is going to happen, because I have had to persevere and I know that He will be there helping me through it.