Peek-A-Boo

Sometimes our gifting and callings seem hidden from us – we don’t see them.

Moses was the most humble man on earth, the Bible says. Because of that, God was able to use him to lead a million people out of horrible bondage. It was a huge feat.

Moses didn’t see that coming. He just thought of himself as a shepherd. At one time he wanted to free his Israeli brethren from slavery but had failed.[i] So he ran away and just survived – found a job and a family.

But the thing he’d wanted to do so long ago was really planted there by God. It’s how he went about it that needed to change.

So God let him go off and learn survival skills in the desert, and let him learn about life by living it. It doesn’t really even appear as if Moses spent those 40 years building his relationship with God. He was just living.

Then it was time. Moses was taking his flock of sheep through the desert one day. God had heard His people in Egypt crying out to be delivered from their slavery.

But even when God told Moses what He wanted him to do,[ii] Moses didn’t see where he fit in. Moses brought up some seemingly legitimate fears and reasons for God to choose someone else.

In response God told Moses all the ways He would help him. Still, Moses didn’t want to go. But God did not release him from his responsibility. In the end Moses did what God asked him to do. Yay!

Do you see any parallels between this story and your life? Are there things you’ve wanted to do in the past that somehow never came about? Ask yourself why. Ask God to help you discern what, when, if, how and when He wants you to do those things. He’ll tell you. He has good things in store for you!


Psalm 16:11, NKJV: “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”




[i] Exodus 2:11-14
[ii] Exodus 3

Fear

Fear is a force that has gripped everyone at one time or another. It’s probably the predominant emotion among most living beings.

Did you know we don’t HAVE to be afraid? In fact, it wasn’t in our Creator’s plan for us to ever fear.

Many times I’ve heard the argument that sometimes fear is a “good” emotion. For example, if you come face to face with a thief, fear gets your adrenalin going so you can run away faster.

Well in that case what’s good is the adrenalin rush, not necessarily the emotion of fear itself.

"...[S]tates generated by fear literally cause our field of sight to narrow, giving us tunnel vision. We literally experience our world as contracted, more limited, and more threatening." P. 309, "Becoming a Professional Life Coach" by Patrick Williams and Diane S. Menendez.

The command “do not fear” is the most oft-repeated instruction in the Bible. Since it’s a command TO us, and not a suggestion for a way to pray, we can infer that we have control over whether or not we are afraid.

It seems impossible to believe that it’s possible to not ever be afraid again in our lives. (How did you like that sentence?) To not be afraid we need a trust-filled relationship with God so we can rely on Him when we are tempted to fear.

What does it take to get to that point? Minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, decide you’re going to believe God will protect you. Build your relationship with Him one decision at a time. He’s not going to let you down.

I am an emotional person. One thing I do regularly is submit my emotions to God and ask that He will help balance them out. Don’t ignore the feeling when fear rises in your throat. Right then and there ask Him to help you. He will.

Hebrews 13:5b, Amplified Version: “…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!