Bring All Your Fears to Me

Be willing to go out on a limb with Me. If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be.

Dear Jesus,

I’m really not much of a risk taker. I prefer to play it safe. However, staying close to You is my heartfelt desire. I want to follow wherever You lead–even if it’s out on a limb. Help me follow You confidently, rather than fearfully.

Beloved, bring all your fears to Me. Fears that are not dealt with tend to magnify themselves. Expose them to the revealing Light of My Presence, and they will shrink to manageable proportions. Some of them may even become comical when you view them from this perspective.

As fearfulness loosens its grip on you, you are freed to follow Me. Grasp My hand tightly, as we edge our way out onto the limb. Since I go before you in this venture, you can keep your eyes on Me as you step out in faith. Soon we will get to a resting place, and then you can look around. If you like, glance back at the tree trunk: the place from which we branched out on this adventure. While gripping My hand to steady yourself, look toward the horizon; enjoy the view from this treetop perspective.

You are actually safer here– out on this limb with Me– than you would be on the ground. In this new, challenging environment you stay alert: communicating with Me continually, holding My hand in trusting dependence. Overly familiar surroundings may feel safer, but they can lull you into sleepy self-reliance. That is when you tend to forget about Me; it’s also when you are most likely to fall. Follow Me confidently wherever I lead, and the shelter of My Presence will keep you safe.

“If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

–Psalm 37:23-24

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

–Hebrews 12:2

“In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.”

–Psalm 31:20