About a week ago, I came across the cutest video on instagram; it was of a baby boy taking his very first steps. Nothing new, I know, but this one really got me thinking. As I watched this adorable child reach this significant milestone, it was as though God was whispering to my heart. He was speaking to me about fear and the very dire consequences of succumbing to it. Goes without saying that the revelation I received is the premise of today’s short( for real this time y’all, lol) and sweet blog post. I pray and hope this blesses you as much as it blessed me at the minimum. Okay, let’s get into it.
On that faithful day, I stared at my screen joyfully as I watched baby Ever James walk confidently and excitedly, though wobbly, towards his papa. He appeared determined to take his first steps. And even after he took his “first steps”, he didn’t stop, his papa recorded him walking in the opposite direction. While I haven’t had the honor of raising a child just yet, I am reminded of my niece when she was a baby. She had to be one of the most energetic babies that have graced the earth. Truly. I’m certain that if her legs were strong enough, she would’ve walked right outta the womb. Fearless and resilient, she still is. She would move and fuss around so much that we had to make sure she was extra secure even if supervision was absent for only a minute because on arrival, she would likely be found rolled off the bed, slid off the cradle, hanging off the stroller… you get the drill. That baby was active and determined to step out the boat. As soon as her legs gave her a chance, she was springing on her two feet walking everywhere. She’d fall, like all babies do, and get right back up and get to moving. At a young age, it was almost as if she understood there was a heavier price to pay than a few falls here and there if she never got back up.
What is relevantly common about these two scenarios- my niece and the IG video of Ever James, is the determination for those children to not stay stuck. I can’t necessarily say that there was a lack of fear for either of these babies, but I think we can safely say there was something greater than that fear that they chose to yield to. Also, something to note is that a guardian was always there as they took those steps, arms extended, ready to catch them if they fell.
Have you ever thought about the fact that babies would remain ‘paralyzed’ if they yielded to the fear of falling? A paralysis of their own making? Neither had I until the day I watched that everyday, common cute IG video. Imagine if babies never got up because they did not want to risk falling down… they’d never walk. This would result in perfectly able adults that are yet to take their first steps… grown adults whose development have been stunted by fear. Imagine a world with grown adults moving around in strollers not because their legs don’t work but because they were too afraid to try for fear of falling. That may seem like an extreme example but it’s a pretty apt example that the Lord used to show me the implications of bowing to fear. Quite frankly, the only reason why it may sound so wild to you, as it did to me, is simply because we know what’s on the other side of taking those first steps and we understand the repercussions of never taking them. However, not many of us know what is on the other side of challenging fear in our daily lives in order to step into the place God is calling us to, and this makes it easier to dismiss. The result is people living well beneath their call and ability because of fear.
Here’s something I’ve learnt : Whatever you do, or don’t do, there is a price to pay. The Bible speaks on counting the cost before you begin to build(Luke 14:28). It also speaks on the price of idleness(Eccl 10:18). There will be some sacrifices required when answering the call, but this is also true when you don’t answer. Building a house may cost you money, time and resources while not building a house may cost you security and a roof over your head.
When you don’t respond to God’s nudge, His instruction, His call, you pay the price of what could have been. This could be the blessing on the other side – not solely for you but to those attached to your ‘yes’ as well, or it could even be your development, or both. Yep, that is right, there is a price paid for underdevelopment just as there is one for development. Underdevelopment will cost you the opportunities that only a tried and refined version of you could qualify for. Underdevelopment will cost you greatness. Underdevelopment will cost you fulfillment. Development will cost you comfort, it will cost you convenience, it will cost you control. Now don’t misunderstand me, there will be a point where we are undeveloped, but we must choose to tread the uncomfortable path out to be everything God designed us to be. Development requires a down payment; you’ve gotta pay upfront to invest. Underdevelopment on the other hand is like a sneaky little merchant on your credit that gets you everything convenient till it runs you dry and in debt.
Yielding to fear consistently is a sure path to underdevelopment. The vivid illustration of a human never walking not because of incapability but because of a surrender to fear of falling hit me hard, hence the title “the paralytic called fear”. Fear is a literal paralytic that we have the choice to succumb to or not. It’s not about a feeling, it’s about the action after the feeling. Unbeknownst to us, many of us have ‘disabilities’ of our own making because we haven’t dared to try. These disabilities may not be physical but I guarantee that does not make them any less harmful or debilitating to us, our callings and our future. When we dare to take those first steps in the direction God has ordered, we can be sure that just like those babies, we have a guide in our corner ready to catch us. The ultimate guide. He will strengthen you and help you[Isaiah 43:10].
Okayy, I promised short and sweet so let me wrap this up. Yes btw, this is “short”… it’s all relative, don’t judge me lol. All of this to say – there is action required on our end. We have got to move, to work, to do and to believe IN SPITE of fear. Do not succumb to fear, it will paralyze you. But only if you let it. I was reminded of a scripture that jumped out at me in Isaiah, the Lord spoke to Ahaz and said “Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.“[Isaiah 7:9] NLT. The first step is to believe, have faith. Without this, it’s impossible to please God right?[Heb 11:6] Next, with faith comes works because well….. faith without works is dead right?[James 2:26] What action are you taking that proves your faith? They go hand in hand.
In John 13, Jesus spoke to the disciples about how they ought to treat others, how they ought to serve. In vs 17, He said something that sticks with me. He said “Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.“What do you need to do for the Lord to bless today? What has fear stunted in your life and how can you loose its grip over you today? That spirit of fear is not from God, don’t let it paralyze you. Remember, Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Kick fear’s butt today.
Love you! And God loves you more! 💞
Referenced Scriptures
“Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.” – Eccl 10:18
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?” – Luke 14:28
“Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” – Isaiah 7:9
“ And it is impossible to please God without faith.” – Heb 11:6
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”- James 2:26
“Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” – John 13:17
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Tim 1:7
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
Readers: Note that the email address and logging in prompts do appear for comments on this blog, but providing an email address and logging in are NOT required. Do leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!
Tee-latable 
One thought on “The Paralytic called “Fear””