{Be Confident} Fears, Fantasies, + Living Outside of the Boat

She stood, with sword in hand, staring at the very thing she had come to vanquish.  He smiled, but his smile didn’t touch his eyes, no.  His smiled stayed on his lips, and then suddenly he was charging towards her.  Bell lifted her sword to defend herself from the impact of his blow, and their long awaited sword fight began.  She had prepared for this moment for as long as she could remember, and she knew her blade well.  Bell was determined, and ready.  She knew that only one of them would walk away from this match alive, and she also knew that she did not have time to die.

Fantasy.

That was the draw- that was the thing that kept me coming back for more.  Books were my escape growing up.  They enticed and excited me- the chance to be anything, anywhere at anytime.  But the stories always ended.  The best stories were the ones that I didn’t want to finish, whether I was writing them, or reading them, they always stopped.

Fantasies always stop.

We live in a world filled with Fantasy.  The beauty of the Gospel is the fact that it flips our world upside down and opens our eyes to reality.  What is that reality?  The fact that we were not created to be satisfied by this world because we were not created for this world.  The Gospel challenges us by reminding us that the world we are living in isn’t something that will not last- it will fade away.  I think we all know it deep inside us.   Like a vapor, this world, this life, it will disappear.

Then, in comes fear.

Fear keeps us living in the fantasy that this is all there is.  Think about it.  Fear chains us to our circumstances.  The moment we think to ourselves “maybe there is more”, thoughts consume us screaming “Nope!  This is it!”.  We don’t take chances because we are worried about what will happen if we do.  We don’t speak up, because we think someone else will.  We don’t step out, because we don’t know what will happen if we rock the boat.

But baby girl, so WHAT if you rock the boat?  What’s the worst that can happen?  You get a little wet?

If you’re a believer, and walk with Jesus you’ve probably heard the story of Peter walking on water.  Do me a favor, and reread it for me.  You can find it here.  Or, open your bible to  Matthew 14:22.

Here is a story about a man, who did something that he never dreamed he would ever be able to do.  He walked on water.

…… for a split second…..

But let’s not forget that we never have, okay?

The disciples are in the middle of a storm when they see a figure walking towards them on the water.  So they freak out.  Of course they do, we would too!  Jesus calls out to them, telling them they don’t need to be afraid- its him.  But Peter isn’t satisfied.  He wants Jesus to prove himself by allowing him to do what Jesus is doing: walk on water.

I can only imagine Jesus’ thought process.   Jesus, being Jesus, beckons Peter and says “Yes, come.”  No doubt smiling and excited to see his friend do something seemingly crazy.

So, Peter goes.  Terrified, and being tossed by the wind and the waves, he walked on water.    The only reason he stopped walking on the water was because he let his fear of the wind and the waves distract him from what Jesus had allowed him to do.

Fear keeps us focused on our circumstances.

That’s the key to living a life filled with Holy Confidence.  Its taking a moment to say “Jesus, if this is of you, make me like you,” and then getting out of the boat, keeping your eyes on Jesus and doing something seemingly crazy.  It’s about living life knowing that none of what we’re living in is really real.  It’s a fantasy that will end.  Like the good books I fell in love with reading, the end is inevitable.  We see it.  We see the end in the distance and we are craving something that won’t end when we do.   What if we made this fantasy world, real?  What if we made it matter?  What if we made it eternal?

We can.

That’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do.

Look your fear in the face -look at that storm- and defy it.  Get out of the boat.  It doesn’t define you because Jesus does.  As long as you let your fear keep you where you are, you cannot and will not go where Jesus has called you to.

Make this world real.  Impact it for the Kingdom.

I don’t know what that looks like for you.  It may be a change in thought process, it may be putting your self out there, or letting go of your idea of how things should be.  Whatever your fear is, trust that Jesus is bigger.

I’m in your corner, cheering you on, praying for you and so excited to see Jesus shine through you.

xo

AnnaFilly