Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Fear of Yes

Every morning while I'm driving to work I like to listen to music or christian talk radio on 590 am. One of my favorite radio ministries is "Insight for Living" with Chuck Swindoll. Chuck pastors Stonebriar Community Church in Texas and the broadcasts are excerpts from his Sunday sermons. Today he was talking about the twelve disciples and how their lives were forever changed when they agreed to be a part of Jesus' ministry. It got me to thinking about the word yes. That word has the ability to transform lives, but it's also one of the most feared words in the human language.

Most of us lead a pretty average life and for the most part we're satisfied with that. We don't do anything that will take us out of our comfort zone. And if we're asked to do anything deemed extraordinary, we cringe and make up 101 excuses why we can't do it. But, the truth is we were all designed to do great things. When God created us he designed each of us with a unique purpose. Unfortunately, the fear of saying yes, keeps us from discovering what that unique purpose is.

So, here's my question - why are we so afraid to say yes? Well, saying yes requires two things: change and faith. Both of these things means stepping out of your comfort zone. When you're used to a certain routine you can count on things being the same each time. There's no surprises involved. But, when you change that routine...watch out. Now you have to expect the unexpected. There are no assurances that things are going to turn out the way you want them to. You just have to proceed and hope for the best - now, that's the faith part.

There are two types of individuals that have the most difficult time saying yes. They are the Analyzers and Controllers. Analyzers have difficulty because they want to weigh every possible outcome before they commit. They spend time and energy considering what could happen or what won't happen. Simply put, they think too much. Controllers have difficulty because...well, they're not in control of the outcome. Saying yes can start a domino effect in their life and dominoes are hard to control once they start falling. But, if you're not willing to change your routine or step out on faith, how will you ever know what else you're capable of achieving?

When the twelve disciples said yes they left everything that they knew including their jobs and families. They didn't know what was in store for them. They definitely had no idea that the man they were following was the son of God and would teach them things that eventually would touch and change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Their purpose was connected to them saying yes. I believe that our purpose is also connected to us saying yes.

So, when an opportunity is presented to you (one that is legal, sane, and unharmful), to come outside of your comfort zone, don't be so quick to count yourself out or expect the worse. A great journey may lie ahead of you, but the first step towards it is saying yes.

Be blessed
TAE

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