What Is Your Giant?
By Karen Makishima
No matter how old I get, I just can’t seem to shake off the fear factor.
As a young child I was afraid to go to Kindergarten. Just when I seemed to have conquered that fear, another one reared its debilitating head. My dad STRONGLY encouraged me to overcome my fear of heights by making me jump off the high dive. I remember how my palms got sweaty as I climbed each rung on the ladder. The line of impatient “pros” behind me only added to the pressure. As long as my dad was watching, turning back was not an option. Each baby step I took toward the end of the board was so painful. The voice inside me continually said, “I can’t do it,” while my father’s voice said the complete opposite. But once I made the jump, I loved it! Yay! I did it!
In the book of Numbers, Moses sent out twelve spies to check out Canaan, the land God promised them. All 12 spies discovered how the land flowed with milk and honey, but 10 of them voted against entering the land because of the giants who lived there. Caleb and Joshua, on the other hand, recommended that they go ahead and take possession of the land, for they can certainly do it.
What made Caleb and Joshua think differently? They knew that the God who had been with Moses was going to be with them, too. That same God would not fail them or forsake them (Joshua 1:5b).
I wonder how many blessings we miss out on because we’re afraid of the “giants in the land.”
I have quite a few giants, like the fear of failure and the fear of not being liked. That debilitating voice from childhood is still there telling me that “I can’t do it.” But I also have a stronger voice from my Heavenly Father who STRONGLY encourages me to make the jump. That same God that was with Moses, Joshua, and Caleb is with us today commanding us to “be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9b)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for your voice of truth that wants us to experience Your
blessings. Help us to recognize Satan’s voice and not allow our fears or giants to rule in our life.
We want to be strong and courageous. Thank You for never failing us! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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