Face your Fears and Follow Your Calling

I hated to go inside and stop the fun on this beautiful fall evening. The kids were enjoying a game a street baseball and I wanted to spend time outside with them. But, every time they’d run by I noticed another welt from a mosquito bite. The mosquitos were everywhere and feasting on our arms, legs, and necks.

Much to everyone’s disappointment, I shooed the kids inside, away from all those pesky mosquitos. We shifted to other, quieter inside games, but it wasn’t what the kids really wanted to play.

How often do we do the same in life? We step out doing the thing we love to do, but get stung by criticism or worry. We begin to fear the bites and doubt that we should even be out in this arena. Shouldn’t we be holed up somewhere safer, leading quieter and less risky lives?

What’s the cost of missing your calling and your greatest passion?

The reality is these mosquito bites are really just a nuisance. Sure they itch and and leave us with red marks for a while, but do they hurt enough to miss out on the things we love? Are we willing to set aside our passions because we fear the sting of a few rejections and criticisms?

In truth, we didn’t have to go inside. I could have sprayed us down with bug spray to repel the mosquitos, except I don’t really like the way bug spray smells or feels on my skin. We could have put on long sleeves and long pants, but it was really too warm for that and we would have been uncomfortable.

Do we feel the same way about clothing ourselves in God’s promises before we step out to follow His lead? Do His promises feel a little uncomfortable and unfamiliar? Do we resist the coverage of His armor because it might feel bulky and cause us to more carefully consider our movements and actions? Are we afraid we’ll stand out, easily identified by the unique scent of our faith?

Will you be ruled by pesky mosquitos or don the armor of God?

Let’s stop hiding in the safety of our homes. Let’s stop fearing the peskiness of our critics. Let’s stop shunning the protection of God’s armor and boldly step out in faith. Follow your passion, even through the stings of doubt, worry, and criticism. Go forth and pursue the path God has called you to, clothed in the full protection of His promises.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrow of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV)

Just think, if we were to clothe ourselves like this, with the full armor of god, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, I don’t think we’d be deterred by a few pesky mosquitos. We’d be fully grounded in the mission God has for our life and fully ready to live it out. Those nagging questions, criticisms, worries, and doubts would roll right off and we’d be able to keep standing firm.