Feel the Fear and Take the Step Forward

Fear is a terrible emotion that you should run from.

When you align your mindset with the truth that your life has a purpose and a plan, you begin to live differently. You approach decisions with a steadiness that is not swayed by fear. You will speak up in a meeting, not because the fear has vanished, but because you know that your voice matters. You walk away from unhealthy habits, not because it is easy, but because you are clear about where you are headed. Clarity reshapes how you respond to fear but, it does not erase it, fear will simply give you the resolve to move forward anyway.

As the Lord declares in Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV), “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

What if the only way to conquer fear is to fully embrace it?

What if the very thing you are running from is the exact thing you need to face?

Stripping down the excuses and honing on the real reason, it is just comfortable. Many use fear as excuse for an fictious excuse. You might tell yourself, "I was not sure what to say, so I did not speak up." or maybe starting a conversation is tough for you and you say something like "I have to go and take care of something at home." Naturally, fear tells you that avoidance is protection. That waiting for the right moment will make it easier. But what if that perfect moment never comes? What if the only way to dismantle fear’s power is to feel it and take action anyway?

Think about the times in your life when fear held you back. Maybe it was a conversation you avoided, a risk you did not take, or a change you resisted. The fear was real, but so was the opportunity. And while fear can paralyze, it can also point you toward something worth pursuing.

The truth is you cannot conquer fear by ignoring it. No motivational quote, no pep talk, no distraction will dissolve it.

You have to feel it.

Feel the knots in your stomach.

Feel the hesitation, the uncertainty, the heartbeat that quickens as you stand on the edge of what is familiar and what is not.

And then, take the step anyway.

The Climber

Imagine a climber standing at the base of a towering cliff. Fear pulses through them; the fear of falling, the fear of failing, the fear of the unknown. But the only way to the summit is up. There is no secret passage that circumvents the climb. The only way to conquer the fear of falling is to ascend the wall despite the fear. Each step becomes a choice, to feel the fear and climb or stay grounded and wonder ‘What if?’

What if, instead of waiting for the fear to subside, you acknowledged it, accepted it, and moved forward despite it? What if the only way to conquer fear was to do the very thing you are afraid of? To take the stage, make the call, have the conversation, submit the application – not without fear, but with it.

Because fear may never go away completely, the unfortunate grip it has, loosens when you step forward in its presence. It is not about eradicating fear; it is about reimagining it as a signpost, better yet, a signal that you are on the edge of something that matters. And the only way to conquer it is to confront it, to walk through it, to feel it fully, and to take action anyway.

Sometimes fear begins by asking yourself difficult questions. For example, What fear are you willing to feel today, knowing that moving through it may be the only way to overcome it?

Maybe it is it a conversation? A financial move? Choosing where to go to college or maybe which employer to choose.

The Bible reminds us in Isaiah 41:10 (ESV), "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 

This promise is a reminder that we are not facing fear alone. God is present in every step, every shaky breath, every moment of uncertainty. We do not have to muster up the courage alone because He is the source of strength, the steady hand that guides us through.

For me, this is where my courage comes from. This is where my confidence comes from. It is not arrogance. It is not self-righteousness. It is faith. Yes, being prepared is important, but when the Holy Spirit wrestles in you on what is truth and what is not, this verse becomes my action to step forward. It gives me permission to step out of my comfort zone and pushes me to be more of what God has created me to be. God's promise propels me; it does not halt me.

A final thought, if you will.

What if we truly believed that instead of letting fear paralyze us, we let God’s promise propel us? and What if we chose, with confidence and wholehearted believed to take that next step, trusting that He is already ahead of us, clearing the path, holding us steady—would we follow through?

That is the true power of faith, it is not the absence of fear but the decision to move forward with God by our side. That means not just believing the words but putting action to the words.