Much of my life has been spent running… running from hurts, fears, and enough self-doubt to sink a battleship, as they say. From the time I was a small child, anything that caused one or more of these emotions, meant it was time to run away.

I ran away from an abusive and neglectful home, ran away from every foster home they put me in, and tucked myself away from watchful eyes. Much of my youth was spent wandering the streets, in the hopes that I might find my own safe place.

Somehow, I managed to let my own fears and self-doubts destroy my first marriage, and the lives of my children. Ouch! Yeah, fear will do things like that.

For much of my 58 years on this earth, I allowed my own fears to dictate my journey. I refused to let go of all that haunted me, all that continued to cause incredible damage to my body, mind, and soul.

When Covid brought about a nationwide shutdown, the world around us imploded! When that occurred, the scales of balance in my fear department were simply shattered beyond recognition! The weight of it all seemed to crush my spirit, leaving nothing more than an emotional disaster area!

Not more than three years ago, I chose to quit running from painful things, as I’d been doing all my life. The running hadn’t done anything for me, aside from make things worse. God offered me the freedom of letting go, surrendering it all to His will, and trusting in something other than myself, for once. While I’d been a Christian since the age of 18, I never fully let go, and let God, if you will. I’d made a right disaster of my life, thus far, so I had nothing to lose.

Well, I did have some things to lose… like that ole fear and self-doubt that the prompt was asking about. It’s not a perfect walk, nor always an easy one, as I’ve shared with you on occasion. But, whether the journey is easy, hard, long, or even painful… it is without fear, and for the most part, without any nagging self-doubts. If any of those pop up, it’s not God that’s the problem, but my willingness to surrender.

So, when fear and self-doubt come knocking at your door, you don’t have to let them in. Be brave, be strong, and lay those fears down. They won’t change the outcome of a thing, unless you let them.

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