Lately I have been struggling with a personal area of fear. The wild thing is that this is an area of fear I thought had been conquered six years ago. Apparently I was wrong. So here it is... We are in the process of cultivating ministry partnerships for South Bay Church. Currently we are about 75% of the way towards our financial goals for the 2009 budget year. After departing Texas before heading to California we have been spending time with family and meeting with potential ministry partners on the east coast. In leaving Texas we've moved away from alot of our relationships and people who would be potential ministry partners. Since arriving in South Carolina Stacie and I have had to go back to ground zero and try to meet with folks to share the vision and ask them to partner both financially and through prayer. This has been a huge challenge for me mainly becuase we have not had contact with many of these people for over 5 years. Interestingly, we have done so much partnership development, literaly meeting with and asking hundreds of people to partner, I did not think this would be an area where I would feel stuck or afraid. Well lately I've felt a great deal of fear that has made it hard for me to call folks, set up appointments and ask them to give. Fear always causes you to check your convictions and deal with what is in your heart. Fear also challenges your asuumptions. It is a temptation when you face fear to change what you believe so that you don't have to face the thing you fear. So with the strength of God I have chosen to face the fear that lies before me and do what is right, and we are making progress. Here are a couple thougths and things God is teaching me through this.
* Just because you were able to overcome a fear in the past does not mean that fear is gone forever. You must continue to face it when it arises.
* Courage is doing what is right in spite of fear.
* You must not allow fear to change your assumptions about God and life.
* When you have an area of fear, the only way to overcome it is so bear up underneath God's strength, ask him to give you strength and with his power walk right into the unknown of that fear.
* Every new level in my life and leadership requires me to face some area of fear. If I don't face my fears I stay stuck and the organization I lead does not reach its full potential.
* My struggles with fear give me compassion to relate to others who face the same fear.
Here are some questions to ponder:
1. What is the biggest area of fear that you currently are facing?
2. Have you asked God to help you face your fear?
3. Do you allow your fears to change your convictions about what is right?
4. When will you face your fear?
Hope this helps you!
