Fearless Decision Making

As I launched into the New Year in the Bible I was reading Matthew 1 and was struck by the words of the angel to Joseph.

“Joseph, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is conceived within her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, And you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:20a-21)

Joseph was wrestling out what to do in a very delicate situation. Out of honour and in a desire to do the right and righteous thing he decided to divorce Many and leave her. But then God sends a messenger, an angel, to Joseph in a dream and essentially says, “Don’t let your fears guide your choices. Don’t be afraid to be with Mary.”

Even though he had tried to make a godly, honouring choice, he still let fear guide his decision. God sent an angel to challenge this choice and his motivations to divorce Mary. Was he within his right to do it based on what information he could see? Yes. However, he had allowed fear to guide his choice. Fear of what people might think. Fear of what kind of person Mary might actually be. Fear of all the unknowns that would come with him if he continued on in this relationship.

Far too often we allow our fears to factor too heavily into our decision-making process, and as a result, we don’t act in faith and walk in love into the places God is calling us.

For Joseph, his fears could have gotten in the way of being a part of the most incredible story and life ever. His fears could have prevented him from having a front row seat in watching Jesus grow up and become who he would be. His fears could have held him back from being with Jesus for, regardless if Joseph was there or not, Jesus still would have been born to Mary.

Fear would have held him back from the honour of being called “Daddy” by God’s son, Jesus.

Where are you currently letting fear guide your story? Where do you need to hear the Lord say “Don’t be afraid?” Where do you need to know that he is “with you?” What dream has he given you? What has he called you to?

Don’t be afraid and don’t let fear get in the way of way of stepping into who God has made you to be!