Don’t quit too soon

Seth Godin wrote the following on his blog today.

“I don’t even know what I’m afraid of”

This is the fear that kills brands and b2b sales and individual creativity. It’s the fear without a name, without a face, without false facts that can be shot down or arguments that can be reasoned with.

This is the amygdala firing, the lizard brain being triggered without rational explanation.

When we are wrestling against the elusive and resilient fear with no name, often the only choice is to live with it, to care enough about forward motion and practical progress that we can come embrace the inner trembling that won’t give up.

In market after market paralyzed with fear, this trembling might be the very best sign that you’re on to something.

He is speaking about business, but the truth flows into faith and relationships as well.

Life gets shaky at time. Life can bring a ton of uncertainty. Life can be downright scarey. Throw in a side of loneliness or hurt or letdown and things can move from uncertainty to overwhelming in the blink of an eye.

Living in the red white and blue doesn’t like this. We don’t like uncertainty nor imbalance and certainly hate the feeling that we have no control. So whenever we find ourselves wrestling with the “elusive and resilient fear with no name” we would rather step away than step up. We’d rather go after balance and wholeness somewhere else than risk facing the unknown outcome of where we are.

So where does faith come in then?

Maybe that shaky, uncertain, scary, lonely, confusing, fearful spot is the most amazing, holy, beautiful, incredibly spot you could be in.

Maybe you look around with, “God, why do you have me in this impossible situation?

And maybe God looks around with, “Why not? It’s perfect! You get to trust me and I get to show off!”

Easy doesn’t produce faith.

Easy doesn’t produce anything.

Imagine what you’re on the verge of!

Whether marriage, family, friendship, or church: Avoid backwards. Move forward. Don’t give up. Keep on.

Don’t quit too soon.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 10:39–11:1