There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. 1 John 4:18
As a photographer, I am always curious about what’s up ahead. What wonderful photos can I shoot? I’ve found that sometimes I have to get out of my comfort zone and move toward an interesting shot. I have to be curious and let God surprise me with the beauty of His creation.
Likewise, in my travels, I’m always curious about where I’m going next. In navigating a winding road, there’s always the possibility of a car coming head-on towards you as you take a curve. Nowhere was that more real than on the northern tip of the island of Maui. I had misread the sign saying the road for the next eight miles was a one-lane road. I thought it said 0.8 miles! I was not only surprised when the road curved around the mountainous slopes over and over again, but I was getting a bit nervous as I couldn’t see around the next curve if a car was coming toward me. Car horns make good warning signals and honking the horn was the only way to let an oncoming car know I was there.
Driving the rental car around the curvy road bordered by the mountains on one side and a drop-off cliff to the ocean on the other side was harrowing at best. To say I was “white knuckled” is an understatement! But I had no choice. There was no place to turn around. I had to keep going. At the same time, the scenery was amazing! Traveling the one-lane, somewhat frightening road was the way to get where I wanted to go. I couldn’t give up or go back. I had to move forward through fear.
In life, we cannot see around the next bend. The straight I-can-see-for-miles road can suddenly become as spiral as a corkscrew. How do we respond? Do we hold onto life with a death-grip, white-knuckling our way forward? Do we stop and hope someone will rescue us? Do we try to turn around and go back to more familiar territory?
When we are scared of the future, our perspective needs to change. Letting go of our anxieties can allow a sense of curiosity to take hold. Maybe we’re on a winding, uncertain path now, but perhaps there is something beautiful just around the bend.
Curiosity did not kill the proverbial cat. Fear did. Living in fear instead of wonder and curiosity can cripple us. God does not intend for us to live in fear. In 1 John 4:18, the Bible says “perfect love cast out all fear.” His Word also tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a plan to give us a hope and a future. We can live confidently know that God loves us and longs to give us hope as we travel into our future. We don’t have to be afraid.
As I move through life, even when circumstances are difficult and stressful, I want to be curious about how God is using even the difficulties of my life to shape me into who He wants me to be. I want to be curious, not afraid, about the next step, the next curve in the road. Because no matter what the road looks like, I know Jesus is walking with me. And that is the only thing that matters. Life with Him is in the here and now and also just around the bend.
Lord, thank You that You are always with me, even when I’m afraid of the future. Help me live in Your perfect love, with curiosity instead of fear, knowing You have a plan for me as I travel life with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
PS – No photos were taken on the winding road on Maui – for obvious reasons! The attached photo was taken on a recent trip to Scotland.
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of gorse-bordered road near Scott’s View in the Scottish Borders, Scotland.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
As a photographer, I am always curious about what’s up ahead. What wonderful photos can I shoot? I’ve found that sometimes I have to get out of my comfort zone and move toward an interesting shot. I have to be curious and let God surprise me with the beauty of His creation.
Likewise, in my travels, I’m always curious about where I’m going next. In navigating a winding road, there’s always the possibility of a car coming head-on towards you as you take a curve. Nowhere was that more real than on the northern tip of the island of Maui. I had misread the sign saying the road for the next eight miles was a one-lane road. I thought it said 0.8 miles! I was not only surprised when the road curved around the mountainous slopes over and over again, but I was getting a bit nervous as I couldn’t see around the next curve if a car was coming toward me. Car horns make good warning signals and honking the horn was the only way to let an oncoming car know I was there.
Driving the rental car around the curvy road bordered by the mountains on one side and a drop-off cliff to the ocean on the other side was harrowing at best. To say I was “white knuckled” is an understatement! But I had no choice. There was no place to turn around. I had to keep going. At the same time, the scenery was amazing! Traveling the one-lane, somewhat frightening road was the way to get where I wanted to go. I couldn’t give up or go back. I had to move forward through fear.
In life, we cannot see around the next bend. The straight I-can-see-for-miles road can suddenly become as spiral as a corkscrew. How do we respond? Do we hold onto life with a death-grip, white-knuckling our way forward? Do we stop and hope someone will rescue us? Do we try to turn around and go back to more familiar territory?
When we are scared of the future, our perspective needs to change. Letting go of our anxieties can allow a sense of curiosity to take hold. Maybe we’re on a winding, uncertain path now, but perhaps there is something beautiful just around the bend.
Curiosity did not kill the proverbial cat. Fear did. Living in fear instead of wonder and curiosity can cripple us. God does not intend for us to live in fear. In 1 John 4:18, the Bible says “perfect love cast out all fear.” His Word also tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a plan to give us a hope and a future. We can live confidently know that God loves us and longs to give us hope as we travel into our future. We don’t have to be afraid.
As I move through life, even when circumstances are difficult and stressful, I want to be curious about how God is using even the difficulties of my life to shape me into who He wants me to be. I want to be curious, not afraid, about the next step, the next curve in the road. Because no matter what the road looks like, I know Jesus is walking with me. And that is the only thing that matters. Life with Him is in the here and now and also just around the bend.
Lord, thank You that You are always with me, even when I’m afraid of the future. Help me live in Your perfect love, with curiosity instead of fear, knowing You have a plan for me as I travel life with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
PS – No photos were taken on the winding road on Maui – for obvious reasons! The attached photo was taken on a recent trip to Scotland.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of gorse-bordered road near Scott’s View in the Scottish Borders, Scotland.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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