The Story of God’s Grace in a Life Unafraid {Day 31}

Thirty-one days of living unafraid has challenged me to think differently about fear and anxiety.

I stand on the squished bus in the early-morning rush of the weekday, and wonder what exactly I used to fear. Way back 31 days ago. I step into the bakery and wonder what is it that makes me anxious? I walk by the window of the hair salon, knowing I need another haircut, and can’t figure out why I get all jittery when I imagine myself walking in and trying to make an appointment. I find myself redefining fear, reworking anxiety, refinding the truth about the true unshaken. This whole life unafraid thing has made me step back consider my motivations for the anxious.

When I walk down the street of unfamiliar, my anxious steps up and makes my heart beat fast. Because of what I do not know. So — is that what I fear? The unknowing?

When I ride on the bus of uncomfortable, my stomach knots up. Because of what I do not like. So — is my fear really caused by the prospect of facing the undesirable?

When I see the scary uncontrollable, my head spins to places where my kids get hurt or sick. Because of what I cannot control. So — is the source of my fear really the fact that I am not in control?

I mean, really, what is it that I fear? What actually gives me the anxious? And why have I been able to avoid it this month? How have I been able to live truly unafraid? How can I remain unshaken when I read about the flooding and winds from a storm with a name?

I made a choice to trust the One Who holds the world between His fingers. I made that choice October 1. And I have made it everyday since. I have chosen to focus intently on His almighty. His always good. To meditate on what it means to put all of my fear in Him, the Lord God is His name. And He has shown me how to live. Unafraid.

It’s a story of God’s grace, this life unafraid. His grace that shows me I really have nothing to be afraid of when I put all my fear into Him. His grace that points me to the unshakeable, unfathomable, always faithful hand of the One Who holds life itself. The One Who has already arrived at the what has yet to be. And, even though my belly flutters at the thought of walking into a German salon and making an appointment, I know that I can do it because of God’s grace. Even though I lay in bed on a Monday night while a huge storm batters my homeland on the other side of the world, I have placed all my reverent awe in the One Who does cannot be tossed like waves or blown around like tree limbs.

And so we come to the end of our 31-day journey, curled up in the grace of Almighty God’s hand. We give Him our scary. And we know that He is enough to handle it. He is the only One Who can handle all that scary.

So I’ve decided I’m going to stay there. Gonna’ keep on wearing my unafraid. Until it gets all stained and holey and then I’ll turn it in for a new unafraid. And here’s where I challenge you to keep it on, too. Why not keep living unafraid? We can help each other when it gets hard. We can remind each other where our fear should be. Goodness knows there are times we each need all the help we can get! So why not join me? Send me an email. Leave me a comment. Find me on facebook. Just let me know. And we’ll keep living. Unafraid.