Finish what Fear made you abandon

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Fear has caused many people to abandon assignments, opportunities, relationships, and dreams that once carried great promise. Some walk away from a ministry, career, marriage, business, or calling not because the opportunity disappeared, but because fear convinced them that continuing was too risky. Fear of failure can make us afraid to try, while fear of success can make us question whether we are prepared for the responsibility, visibility, or growth that may follow. In either case, fear can cause us to surrender something valuable before it has the opportunity to become what God intended.

Joshua understood the weight of fear when he was called to lead Israel into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. The responsibility was enormous, the opposition was real, and the future was uncertain. Yet God did not remove every difficulty before Joshua moved forward. Instead, He commanded him in Joshua 1:9 to “be strong and courageous” and assured him, “the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Courage, therefore, is not the absence of fear; it is the decision to move forward because we trust God’s presence more than we trust our fears.

Imagine standing at the edge of a bridge you once started to cross but turned back because the distance ahead frightened you. Returning to that bridge does not guarantee that every step will feel comfortable, but it gives you another opportunity to reach the other side. Some unfinished areas of our lives are much the same. What fear once convinced us to abandon may still be waiting for us to approach it again with greater maturity, wisdom, preparation, and dependence on God. Sometimes we do not need a new dream; we need the courage to return to the one fear made us leave behind.

If fear caused you to abandon something God may still be calling you to complete, do not automatically assume the opportunity is gone. Ask God for wisdom to discern whether the assignment is still yours, and if He confirms it, return with courage. Restart the ministry, revisit the plan, make the call, resume the education, rebuild the relationship where appropriate, reconsider the business, or take whatever faithful step lies before you. Do not allow fear in the present to rob you of the future God has prepared for you. Be strong, be courageous, and finish what fear made you abandon.

Question for Reflection:

What have you walked away from because of fear, and could God be calling you to prayerfully return and finish it?

Prayer:

Lord, reveal where fear has caused me to retreat from what You placed before me. Give me wisdom to know what I should return to and courage to take the next faithful step, trusting that Your presence will go with me.