When Fear Stops You In Your Tracks

​It was one of those “perfect” weather days – mid-70’s, low humidity, the sun was shining, and a light breeze was blowing through the air. I was walking the trails at a nearby park (one of my favorite things to do), listening to Pandora radio on my iPhone, and admiring the beautiful scenery. Life was good.

 The song, “Take My Hand,” by Shawn McDonald started playing through my earbuds, and I was singing along inside my head as I continued walking the trails – “Take my hand to the promised land / And on you I want to stand / Cause I cannot do it on my own / You’re what I need and I need to be / Right by your side cause I cannot hide / Lord, I know I need you…”
 
Then, right before I was about to take my first step across a bridge, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I looked down and saw this…

My foot was within inches of stepping on the tail of a snake!  Some people might scream. Some people might run away. I froze. Fear stopped me in my tracks.
 
But I didn’t stay frozen for long, because a few seconds later I remembered, “I’ve come across snakes two other times walking this trail. In the past, I stepped back, let the snake slither away, and then I continued walking. Everything turned out okay. I should do that again.”
 
So, I stepped back, took out my camera, snapped a picture, and watched this long snake slither across the bridge and into the grass.
 
I continued walking on the path, but this time I was looking down more frequently, in case that snake had any friends in the area. As I was walking, I realized a few things:

• Even though I’ve seen snakes two other times on this trail, I completely forgot about it. When I started my hike, I wasn’t expecting to see a snake, but when I did, it immediately brought up memories of the previous sightings. Experiences in our present can trigger memories from our past.

 

• When I saw the snake, fear caused me to stop. Remembering how I handled the situations in the past (and that everything turned out okay) enabled me to continue moving again. 

 

• In the midst of my fear, I was listening to song lyrics that talked about needing God’s help.

 
A snake stopped me in my tracks. Maybe something else has stopped you in your tracks - financial difficulty, an unexpected medical diagnosis, dealing with trauma/painful experiences from your past, stress at work or at home, worrying about a loved one or the future, etc...
 
When fear stops you in your tracks, extend your hands – to God and to others.
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• Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

• Fears will often intensify if we keep them to ourselves. When we share our fears with a loving, safe, and trusted person, we can receive encouragement and support.

 
When fear stops you in your tracks, use it as a moment to reflect on God’s faithfulness.

• When we remember how God has been faithful in the past – how we have experienced His love, mercy, protection, and grace - our fear will start to fade and will be replaced by peace and confidence. This will allow us to continue moving forward.

 
When fear stops you in your tracks, remember that God already knows what’s ahead and He promises to stay by your side.

• Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

 
Fear temporarily stopped me in the park that day, but I’m thankful I kept going. Otherwise I would’ve missed the beautiful scenery that was waiting for me up ahead.