“What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”
This is the question I’m turning over and over in my heart as I enter into this new year. Think about it. What would you try if you knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that you’d succeed?
Now think about this: How many of those things, those dreams, have you shied away from out of fear?
Fear of failure…
Fear of embarrassment…
Fear of being different…
Fear of judgment…
Fear of having to sacrifice more than you’re capable of…
Fear of things turning out differently than you had hoped…
Fear of the unknown…
If you’re like me, you’ve probably shied away from a lot of those dreams of yours for these reasons and countless others. But the common theme that strings all of them together is an underlying spirit of FEAR.
It’s a powerful thing, fear. It can hold us back from so much. It can stop us from dreaming and risking and living the lives of purpose and passion that we were created for. And really, I wouldn’t blame any of us for being held back by fear, if it weren’t for this one truth:
You and I are children of God. Did you get that? I said, we are children of GOD.
Do we understand this? Do we fully comprehend what it means to be a child of the one, true, almighty and eternal God? I’m not sure we do.
Being children of God, we’ve received a great gift—the Spirit of God. On the day of our baptism, the actual Spirit of our Creator flooded our souls. He now lives in us. We are where the everlasting God, the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega DWELLS! How is this possible?! I’ll never be able to completely wrap my tiny little mind around it, but all I know is wherever we go, whatever we do, He’s now there, too.
Now, if this wasn’t the case, if we didn’t have the Holy Spirit, I’d understand why we’d all allow fear to dictate our choices and run our lives. But this ISN’T the case. So why do we often live like it is?
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (1 Timothy 6-7)
You and me, we’ve got to start thinking bigger. We’ve got to start dreaming God-sized dreams. We’ve got to stop living with a spirit of timidity. Timidity would be normal and completely called for if we were children of the world—weak, helpless, selfish, out of control. But as children of God, you know what should be normal? Boldness, bravery, love, and strength.
If we’re children of the King of the universe, then we’re also heirs to everything He has. Our inheritance is not fear. It’s courage, freedom, peace, purpose, joy and power, not because of anything we’ve done but because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross 2,000+ years ago.
“[A]nd if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:17)
No longer do we have to be slaves to fear. We’ve received the power of our Father now, and that changes everything.
So let’s think about this again: How many desires and dreams of your heart have you shied away from out of fear? This is what your Father has to say about that…
Fear of failure… What if you fail? But, My child, what if you succeed? Don’t you know you’re strong? Don’t you know I’m with you wherever you go? You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. Even situations that end up looking like failures are transformed into situations that magnify My glory. I make all things beautiful, both successes and failures. No matter what, the faith you show in taking a leap will be used to build My Kingdom. Stop doubting. You’re a child of God.
Fear of embarrassment… How many times was my Son made fun of, persecuted, and rejected for carrying out My mission for Him on earth? And yet, He didn’t let that stop Him. Are you afraid of embarrassment? How about you start looking to Me instead of men. My approval is all you need. It’s all that really matters, anyway. Let it be your foundation. Remember, you’re a child of God.
Fear of being different… Guess what… you’re already different whether you like it or not. I chose you and set you apart long before you even took your first breath. You weren’t created to be like this world. You were created to do great things, even when those things seem small or insignificant to you. You’re unique, you’re different, you’re Mine. You’re a child of God. Don’t be afraid to live like it.
Fear of judgment… What if you’re judged for going after the dreams I’ve planted in your heart? You may be judged, but there are worse things. The people around you don’t know your heart like I do. They can’t possibly judge you. Only I can. And if you trust Me and risk in hopes of answering My call, judgement is the last thing you’ll get from Me. Rise above the fear of what others will think. I think you’re wonderful, and I love you. Does any other opinion truly matter? Remember, you’re not a child of man, you’re a child of God.
Fear of having to sacrifice more than you’re capable of… There’s no sacrifice you can’t make. There’s no obstacle you can’t overcome. I’ve given you power and strength. I can do all things, even the impossible. I live inside of you. That means YOU can do all things, even what may seem impossible at first. Don’t ever think I’ll give you more than you’re capable of. With Me, you’re capable of much more than you can imagine. After all, you’re a child of God.
Fear of things turning out differently than you had hoped… If you step out in faith, I can’t promise things will turn out exactly as you planned. What I CAN promise is that they will turn out exactly as I planned, and what I plan is always so much better. I have plans to give you a hope and a future far beyond what you could expect. So what if you try something new and you don’t end up where you thought you would? You’ll end up where I want you to. It’s all part of the adventure of being a beloved child of God.
Fear of the unknown… I won’t sugarcoat it. There are plenty of times I’m going to lead you into the unknown, and it’s bound to get a little uncomfortable. But nothing great happens inside your comfort zone, and I know that. When you risk, you may not always know what’s going to happen next, but I can assure you of this: You’ll always know the One Who is leading you. I’m always worthy of being trusted. I will never let you down. You’re my child, and I’ll carry you every step of the way. There’s no need to worry.
A new year is here, guys. We can live like we’ve been living, or we can live with a greater sense of freedom in who we are in Christ. We are loved. We are powerful. We are capable. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. All because we belong to our Father in heaven.
So I’ll ask this one more time… “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”
Now go ahead and do it. Make that change you’ve been thinking about, go after that dream you’ve had in your heart since before you can remember, talk to that person you’ve been wanting to get to know better, take that baby step or huge leap you’ve been too afraid to take. You may fall or you may fly, but really, nothing is ever a failure if you’re brave enough to try. Don’t you know? You’re a child of God, and you’re braver than you realize.