I can do it. No, I can’t. Yes, I can. No, I can’t.
Have you ever had that conversation with yourself? You feel like God is calling you to reach out to someone, start a new venture, teach a Bible study, write a book, share a story about your past that you’ve never shared before. But then your fear shouts at your faith to keep quiet.
One day Jesus told a parable to a group of listeners. We’ve come to know it as the Parable of the Talents, but it is really more the Parable of the Three Choices. Jesus was explaining what the kingdom of heaven would be like in common terms.
For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money (Matthew 25:14-18).
When the master returned home, he was well pleased with the two servants who had invested and doubled their talents, but he was furious with the one who hid his one talent in the ground.
“You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents’ (Matt. 25:26-28).
This story gives me chills every time I read it. For you see, God has given each and every one of us gifts . . . gifts that He has purposed for us to use, invest, and multiply. And I’m not just talking about money, but gifts in our inner being. He has given you talents and abilities that He expects you to use to further the kingdom and minister to others.
So what kept the servant with one talent from doing so? Fear. Giving into fear prevented him from investing what he had. I think the master would have been more pleased if the servant had said, “Lord, I invested the talent and unfortunately lost it all.” At least he would have tried. At least he would have made some effort. But the master saw him as evil and lazy.
Fear makes us lazy. Think about that a minute. A fearful person does little.
Moving forward despite the fear gets the spiritual couch potato out from under the afghan and into the life she was meant to live.
You either show fear the door, or it will bolt the lock to keep you out of the places God has prepared for you to go and do all that He has planned for you to do. Fear has no choice but to leave the premises when you stand on the promises of God and say, “You are not welcome here.”
Choices determines our destinies. Let’s say together:
“I will not bury my calling in a shallow grave of fear.”
“I will not allow my ‘no, I can’t’ to overshadow God’s ‘yes, you can.’”
Here’s a truth you can hang onto today. Big assignments begin with a thousand tiny yesses. So, invest that one talent you have, and watch God entrust you with more!
Lord, thank You for entrusting me with gifts and talents. Sometimes I’m not sure what they are, but I pray You will make them clear to me. Help me to be brave and share with others the talents You have given me. I want to invest in other people and multiply the fruit in Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
What is one thing God is calling you to do today in which you need to overcome your fear? (This is in a weird color because I really want you to tell me! Saying it is the first step to doing it!)
If you want to learn how to let go of your fear and become a woman of courage, then this book is for you! Let’s get unstuck from mediocre faith and take hold of all that God has done for us and put in us! No more spiritual couch potato for me! I’m ready for the mountain moving, giant slaying, bold believing faith that God intended all along! In Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, and Live Bold you’ll see how to ignite your faith as never before.
Need pray? Click over to the prayer wall.
© 2022 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Comments 41
God is calling me to lead family Sunday school and vbs at my church. Sunday the 18th is my first day teaching. Please pray that God will bless this ministry and give me strength to battle through the fear and self doubt to share Jesus love with the families He sends to me. Thank you!
Jerusha I will be praying for you!! I started serving in the children’s ministry about a month ago and I tell you what, God has shown up and given me words, ideas and confidence that I never thought I had! Every Sunday I am so nervous (well all through the week) and God is so faithful to give me all I need!! God bless you sweet sister, He’s holding you and knows exactly what you need as you step out!
Awesome! You and God got this!
Thank you Sharon! I needed to read this today! God has given me talents I’ve been hiding away in fear. I know He is calling me to come out of hiding in faith. God is calling me to write and to give comfort to those who need his love. I pray I will step out in faith to use my talents as God would have me use them. Amen
My fear – not being meant for anything important, just being mediocre.
I am in a season of my life that I’m searching for my purpose – and I question what really are the gifts that God created me with, because I don’t feel as though I’m excelling at anything.
Author
I felt that way most of my life. It’s not true for me or you. I wonder if our ordinary obedience is not ordinary at all.
Melinda, you are not alone! I feel the same way… I guess my biggest fear is that maybe God is showing me the way, and I am not listening to Him… find my purpose has been the greatest battle in my life with Christ..
I am there right with you, dealing with an anxiety disorder and taking some medication for it! Anxious about taking too much medication! Wanted to do all natural remedies, but gave into calling the Psychiatrist I had been with a few years ago! Afraid too I might not be listening to what God wants me to do! Everything you wrote is exactly how I feel!
It is so true! The fear of failure keeps me frozen! I don’t want to be that way anymore! Thank you for this reminder!
GO GOD!! I believe I will get a job offer today, and I will have to leave my current job and do something similar, but different in two cities rather than one! I’ll be working for Christian’s instead of a miserable boss who isn’t! God please show me the way you want me to go!
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Let us know what happens!
Hi Melinda….my name is Lynn. I am 60 years old and feel VERY MUCH the same as you. Fear has controlled most all of my life….it still does. I read Sharon’s devotional today and for just a moment, felt like maybe I could overcome my spirit of fear, find what my “gifts “ are and begin to use them for the Lord. But then, that old voice comes back to remind me that “I’ll never be any different than I am now.” It’s a miserable state of affairs when you feel mediocre., all the while knowing He has called you to live an abundant life. I love the Lord and have trusted Him as my Savior. I pray He will deliver me and allow me the privilege of using whatever talent(s) I may have for Him for my remaining years and experience all that He has been wanting to do in me and through me. I pray the same for you ❤️
Please pray God would open doors for me to use the talents He has given me. I am willing but unsure of how to make that availability known in the current place of worship I attend. I am open to God’s leading but I don’t want to thrust myself forward on my own. Thank you!
I just began teaching a new Sunday school class with an age group I am not comfortable with. Two Sundays in a row I’ve wanted to quit. It’s just fear talking. I don’t want to give up and I’m going to keep pressing forward.
Christy, I am praying with you!! I am in a toddler room and it was so chaotic last Sunday and I wanted to throw in the towel. But lets keep trusting in God to give us all we need to serve the next generation! What a privilege it is to be able to serve!!! I am resting under His wing this week and Sunday is quickly approaching and I’m a nervous wreck. I hope you find rest too!
Sharon, I just turned 67 on 9/11. I’ve lived a full life but I know there’s more. Please pray that the Lord would place whatever it is He wants me to do next. Sometimes I feel like we live in a young world with limited opportunities for those over 50!
I so enjoy your writing. We have much in common. Be blessed! Dee
Dear Dee, praying for you that God would make the rest of your life profitable for His glory. I am about to have that same birthday and understand your feelings. I pray today He would show you His path for you! In His love,
Pam
Hi Pam and Dee,
I attend a ladies group where I am 15 years younger than the next youngest lady. And let me tell you, these older ladies are treasure! They speak wisdom, experience, and life into my life. (Like praying with me through hard stuff, helping me understand my Bible, but also explaining that sprayer for the hose is sold separate from the hose hahaha!) I’m so thankful to have them. Maybe God is calling you to mentor a younger lady. I’m lifting you both in prayer that God gives you clarity, reveals a path for you, and gives you new dreams!
I am going through a divorce I didn’t ask for and didn’t want . So much fear is gripping my heart as I take each step forward in this process . So many unknowns and so many changes at once . I love how you said “Big assignments begin with a thousand tiny yesses”
I literally am like Okay God I will take the next step you put in front of me . The big picture overwhelms me too much .
Kelly,
I am separating from my husband after 7 years of battling through his addictions and lies. I don’t want appears to lie ahead either, and it’s all too easy to let despair, anger, and fear set in. I am clinging to the knowledge that God sees all and goes before me. He sees the big picture that we can’t, and He is working all things together for good. Our lives may look vastly different from what we anticipated, but God is still God, He’s good, and He won’t ever stop loving us. I am praying for you today for Him to provide for you in every way and for you to feel his peace that surpasses understanding. We must rebuild our identity firmly in Him! He is our Rock and Redeemer!
Dear sweet Kelly,
I grieve for your loss, but t know how very much you are loved by God in more ways than you know! Please know that I am praying for you as you navigate these muddy waters. God will make a way when there seems to be no way.
Dee
I’m so fearful of trying new letting go…I’m afraid to fail to be overwhelmed to be less financially stable WHY??? Once again God has layed an opportunity at my feet why can’t I commit??
When I was young, I loved to write stories, songs, poetry. As I got older and went into the business world, my writing turned to business purpose mostly. I still find so much energy and release when I make time to journal or pray through writing. Recently I’ve had several nudges and reminders of my gift in this area. I wonder if perhaps God is calling me to dust it off and let him develop the seeds that started long ago. I feel nervous about ‘sharing my story’ (if that is the desired use God has for my writing). because I don’t want the other people in my life who are part of that to be offended or look bad based on the things I say. I’ve had complicated feelings about this for a while. It would be hard to write without being true to who I am, which means owning the hard stuff too.
The hard stuff is what is meaningful to others and gets their attention. It makes you feal real to them as you meet them where they, too, are the most vulnerable
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There is a Christian writer’s course called Flourish Writers. It is an online course, reasonably priced, that will show you, step by step, how to write a devotional or book. They answer your questions such as writing about others and how MUCH of your story to write about.
I believe I am being called to leave my job and start my own business.
Fear keeps me so frozen that I don’t even know what my gifts are or what God is calling me to do. I want nothing more than to serve him in some way.
Fear has kept off from perusing leadership opportunities that I keep hearing God whispering- eg. I start a non for profit organization, then went into a place of depression and hopelessness. This has kept me away from even finalizing my studies. But am starting a fresh with tiny yesses. Thank you Sharon.
I am a retired school district administrator and I attended a school board meeting last night. I went because I live in the district and I wanted to hear the educational issues. I worked in the district for 24 years so I saw some familiar faces. We greeted each other with hugs and hellos. I went up to a school board member I knew. I told her, we had moved to her area. She said to me, “Jeanette come take my place on the board” I looked at her with, surprised, but wondering is this what God has in store for me. I’ve always wanted to run for the state board of education, but this may be a starting point. Please pray for me as I navigate through this decision.
After many years of lost connection with a friend, she contacted me on Facebook messenger. She is troubled and needs a friend. I am afraid to be that friend because she turned her back on me previously. But I know God restored the connection with her for a purpose.
GOD is calling me for that promotion!!!
🙏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾 Help me Lord to study and pass the written and oral tests. Lord help me to be obedient to your will not mine
In the last three years I have had a lot of trauma, grief, rejection, abandonment and hurt. I’ve never felt so alone, confused and hated myself so much. All of this has resulted in hopelessness, severe depression and being paralyzed by fear. Being afraid to make any decision, because I fear it will be the wrong one. More than anything I want to be used by God. I want to finish writing my book that I feel God called me to do years ago. In the last week I’ve faced many of my fears and made several small choices that lead me to today. Right now. I’m on a bus, going on a vacation by myself (which I never do and I’ve barely left my house in the last 2 years) to spend time alone with Jesus, to de-stress and try and get clarity about hard decisions I need to make moving forward. P. S. And hopefully have some fun too!!
I feel like I’m supposed to come forward about a Dr. that sexually assaulted me in order to help others to come forward. I believe there are others waiting to tell their stories too. I already know of two ladies that he’s behaved inappropriately to in the past. I’m scared. I’ve started counseling, and I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD. I need to know what steps to take. I haven’t even been able to tell my family yet. I have got to press through this fear. I’m usually the person helping others with their problems. This has really overwhelmed me. I have to get through this to help others come forward and for my healing.
I am afraid of my future and single life. My husband left. That I won’t have enough money and will outlive my resources.. I am moving for a month or two while RV and car gets put up for sale to get a smaller one to live in. I have dreamed of traveling US, and hope to now, especially with what seems like my only option. So, I will venture forth trusting in God yet feeling fear that rains on my parade. How does one relieve this persistent fear that Im going to run out of money? Linda
I want to start a Women’s Ministry helping others healing from abortions, past hurts and the pain of separation and divorce. So many thoughts and ideas in my brain that need focused and lined up. With God, anything is possible!
Thank you Sharon! This is confirmation for what I believe is the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Before retiring, I had a long list of things that I wanted to pursue in service to my calling. One of those things was to write a book to share all of the amazing miracles God has performed in my life time. He actually gave me an opportunity to share a portion of my testimony with a group of ladies in the first year of my retirement, which is possibly the begin of that book. But I am conflicted with all the other items on my list to serve, such a volunteering my time at a food kitchen or homeless shelter. I believe that all the things that God has brought me through and literally saving me from death in several of those miracles were meant to help others going through similar things. But then I struggle with not having the proper education to write a book and why would anyone want to read a book by and an unknown author…. So now I know that God is calling off the couch beside my retired husband watching Netflix or repeated Dateline episodes….now I need His direction.
I feel like my gift is the ability to speak- but my whole life I have been bullied for a birthmark I have and scars on my face. I always shy away from public speaking in fear of hearing someone in the crowd make fun of my face (this has actually happened and it destroyed my confidence). I feel that satan is using what God rescued me from (the scars a result of a car wreck I was in at 10yrs old) to keep me quiet and hindered.
I know it is not about me so I should not care what people say about me, as long as I am glorifying God and the kingdom, yet I still find myself fearful of talking to strangers unless I have a full face of makeup on. I avoid people at the gym because my scars and birthmark is visible, when I should be RUNNING to strangers to share with them my testimony of how God rescued me, a drug addicted sinner, and rewrote my story! I should be shouting from the rooftops how God paced the horizon, awaiting for His prodigal daughter to return home and how He rewrote my name from Saul to Paul.
No wonder satan wants to keep me quiet- if people heard of how radically Jesus saved my life, there would be no doubt in theirs of His existence.
I am also searching for the next chapter in life. Whisper one for me. Thanks
The most immediate thing I believe God is calling me to do (I’m new at hearing His voice, so am a little unsure that it is really Him) is to attend a Christian women’s conference next week. It’s a huge ask for me, because for the past 20+ years (since I was a teenager) I’ve basically been trying to hide from the world due to an anxiety disorder and agoraphobia. I never was so bad that I wouldn’t leave the apartment at all, but it was very rare that I’d go out alone. My mom was my “safe person”, and even into my 30s she drove me where I needed to go and handled all phone calls, etc. Three years ago she died, though, and since then I’ve been forced to learn to do all these things myself. It’s been a great test of faith. I was a Christian, but I really didn’t know God- I only knew of Him. I’ve walked through being hurt and angry with Him (and tempted to walk away) to feeling I understand Him better and truly love Him, and I see myself growing and maturing because I am applying what I’ve been reading in the Bible. In August (or so) I came across this conference and thought it sounded interesting, but I immediately thought I couldn’t do it. That I couldn’t afford it and anyway, I was too scared to travel alone. But God pointed out how I could afford it, and how I have been wanting some adventure. So in the end, He won, lol. I sense this is leading to something bigger, as I also feel led to do other “fear-facing adventures” and share them online eventually (blogging and videos, and a fictional book series), to help encourage others to lean on God to conquer their anxieties.
Going through a transition in my life right now. Family, job, home. Every day Gods pours his peace on me in order for me to even get through the day. Thank you Jesus! I know that I am being transformed to something better for Jesus. I know that Jesus will provide what I need. I just need to TRUST and stop allowing my no to overshadow God’s yes! (Thanks for that Sharon)
I believe God is calling me to lay hands on my friend and pray for her healing. This is not something I have much experience with, besides praying over my children. I am asking God to make me brave for Him so He can heal her!