I implore you to transform from a worrier to a warrior! “I don’t want to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death,” Tony Campolo famously declared. I don’t believe God wants this for any of His precious children.

I once heard the story of Eli, a young boy. Eli was terrified of anything sharp or pokey as a child, including scissors, needles, splinters, bee stings, and other similar objects. His parents shielded him from sharp objects because they wanted to help him. They stopped going to movies because of the scary scenes, they let his hair grow out because he was frightened of scissors, and they avoided looking at flowers since bees live in flowers. Eli eventually became fearful of leaving the house or doing anything because he was terrified of what would happen to him. It was 90 degrees outdoors when the young boy was touring a historic fort at the age of ten, and he was sweating and in dire need of a seat. He couldn’t sit on the bench, or even lean against the wall, because they were all made of wood, and he was frightened of splinters. His parents knew at that moment that things had gotten out of hand and that they needed to intervene. They went to a counselor, who showed them how to retrain their son’s mind through cognitive behavioral therapy. Because he was obsessed with Legos and needed money to buy new sets, his mother would push him to go outside, promising that if he was stung by a bee, she would pay him $10. Dad did the same thing and made him an offer of $20. That was probably all it took; he was probably willing to be stung by a bee on purpose in order to receive $30 worth of Legos…they’re like gold to a kid that age! Remarkably, he eventually conquered all of his worries and went on to become a high school fencer!

Here’s my point, friend: God has placed the promise of eternal destiny in your heart, and He has given you a great vision, one that will fill you with the kind of courage that would willingly be stung by a bee! With the Holy Spirit’s assistance, you may face fear with a resolution that says it’s worth getting harmed and even suffering for something bigger than yourself. You are brave, and the Lord is molding your mind and heart with images of His glory! Isn’t it wonderful news?