This coming week we’ll celebrate Palm Sunday and then Holy Week leading up to Easter. At which point I can start being afraid again. Right? I mean, that’s how fasts work. You abstain for a time and then you resume.
Except, maybe, that’s more to do with food fasts. I’ve given up various foods for Lent in the past, and let me tell you, when you haven’t had a French fry in 40 days, they’re VERY tasty. Or the year I gave up candy–those after Easter sales were an unforeseen boon.
But when I gave up my credit card, I never looked back. Still don’t have one. And if I ever get brave enough to give up gossip, I hope I won’t go back to that, either. Fear is a good thing to give up once and for all.
Oh, not the hard-wired, a-mountain-lion-is-chasing-me, fight-or-flight fear. God programmed us with that for a reason. But the what-will-people-think fear, that’s a good one to say goodbye to forever. Or the, I’m-not-in-control-what-if-I-don’t-like-it fear. Or the I-don’t-like-suffering-even-when-it’s-for-God fear.
Last week I swallowed down that what-will-people-think fear. It was the tail end of Bible study and some ladies I’d never met before came in for Faith and Fitness, which meets right after our study. I was about to say something personal that I was comfortable saying in front of friends who know me pretty well. I swallowed hard and said it in front of the newcomers even though it was something I’m really not proud of. Maybe they were horrified. Maybe they were relieved that I wasn’t pretending to be perfect. Either way, I didn’t let fear stop me.
I’ve got a LONG way to go in conquering this fear business. Next week I’m looking forward to tackling a big one. And that right there is a mighty step for me. I’m looking forward to seeing how God will help me abstain from fear.
I’ll be telling you all about it.