to take it a step further and get him a flashlight. The little boy was so happy to have the flashlight that he ran around the house playing with it and shining it in every corner. But one night, his parents noticed that he was still scared of the dark, even with his flashlight. When they asked him why, he said, "I'm not scared of the dark, I'm scared of what's in the dark!"
My Brothers and Sisters, we all have fears and excuses that we use to keep us from moving forward, and they can seem so real and so big that it's easy to forget that what we're really afraid of is what's inside the dark - what's inside ourselves.
When we're faced with an opportunity or a challenge that puts us out of our comfort zone, it's easy to make excuses for why we can't do it. We might say things like, "I'm too busy," or "I'm not qualified," or "I'm not smart enough." But these excuses are just fear in disguise. We're not really afraid of the opportunity or challenge itself; we're afraid of what it might reveal about ourselves. We're afraid that if we try and fail, it might mean that we're not good enough.
The truth is, God doesn't expect us to be perfect; He expects us to try our best and trust Him for the rest. He knows that our weaknesses are part of what makes us human, but He also knows that our weaknesses don't have to keep us from reaching our potential. God promises to use even our weaknesses to show His strength in us. He tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
So don't let fear stop you from stepping out in faith. Don't let your excuses be the weak and fearful voice that drowns out the truth of God's strength in your life. Instead, be brave enough to face your fears and trust God with the rest - for His power is made perfect in weakness.
It's time to stop making excuses and start making progress! Let's rise up and take courage - God is with us!
Let's never forget: the only thing we should be afraid of in the darkness is a fear of missing out on all God has for us in the light!
It's time to stop making excuses and start making progress!