But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
you whom I took from the ends of the earth
and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant;
I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
~ Isaiah 41:8-10 (NRSVUE)
STORYBOOK: Trying by Kobi Yamada
Fear is an emotion that every human being experiences all the time. That’s why phrases like “Do not be afraid” and “Fear not” are some of the most repeated words in scripture. The truth is we live in a world that is filled with uncertainties, and because of that, the types of fears we experience are endless. We fear failure, the future, rejection, being alone, conflict, death, job loss, sickness, not being good enough, and the list goes on and on. And let’s not forget thunder and lightning, the dark, heights, spiders, snakes, bugs, bats, and public speaking. Then if we add in all those things that our imaginations tell us might happen, the list truly is endless.
Folks, the problem with fear is that it robs us of experiencing joy, peace, and hope, all of which are gifts that we receive through our faith. Because what happens when we are afraid is that our fear causes us to focus on ourselves instead of focusing on God. Now, sure, there are those moments when our fear actually saves us and keeps us safe, like if a bear is chasing us through the woods. But for the most part, fear just drains our physical and emotional energy, and it stops us from doing all the wonderful and amazing things that God has created us to do.
In today’s scripture reading, God speaks to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah. And God reminds them of who and whose they are. They are sons and daughters of the divine, just like we are! Friends, we, like the Israelites, are God’s servants. We, like Jacob, are gifted by God’s grace. And we, too, are the beloved and promised descendants of Abraham, who are as numerous as the stars shining in the sky. Through the prophet Isaiah, God reminds the Israelites, “You are my servant. I have chosen you and not cast you off.” Then God goes on to tell them, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” God assures the Israelites that no matter where they go or what they do, they are not alone.
Friends, our faith never guarantees us that fearful things won’t happen. God doesn’t promise us a perfect, problem-free life. The truth is, sometimes people hurt our feelings. Sometimes, things don’t go the way we plan them. Sometimes, the people we love get sick or even die. Sometimes, we lose our jobs or our homes, our comfort, or the ability to see good in the world around us. But God assures us–just like God assured the Israelites–that even in the midst of our fear and all the difficult things we face, we are never alone. Because God is always there, loving us, helping us, holding us, and strengthening us whether we know it or not. It’s up to us to just keep believing, to just keep trying, and to just keep taking baby steps in the right direction.
Today, we heard a storybook about a boy who was afraid. Now, he wasn’t afraid of snakes or monsters or what might be under his bed as far as we know, but he was afraid to try something new. Because what if he wasn’t good at it? And what if he failed? Friends, I wonder, by a show of hands, how many of you have ever tried doing something new., perhaps making a new recipe, knitting, playing a new video game, or building something new? And how many of you found out that you were really good at that new thing?
Well, sometimes, when we try something new, we do find out that we are really good at it. But other times, we find out that the new thing is more difficult than we thought. Now, if it is difficult, we could just give up and not do it anymore, or we could keep trying and trying and trying and trying. And it might take quite a few tries, but usually, if we believe, and practice, and we just keep trying, we find that with God’s help, we can do amazing things!
Folks, did you notice that I said that if we keep trying and trying, with God’s help, we can do amazing things? I didn’t say that if we keep trying and trying with God’s help, we can become perfect at what we set out to do.
I had an interesting conversation with my daughter Jane this week. I told her about the storybook that we heard today, and we talked about the way that many people end up giving up when things get difficult because they are afraid to fail. As we were talking, Jane started to laugh. Now, for those of you who don’t know, Jane is a research scientist, and she works in Chicago. Finally, Jane said, “Mom, my job is all about trying and failing because that is how we learn more and can discover new things that we never knew before.” Sure, failure can be disappointing, frustrating, and even heartbreaking at times, but it is a necessary step to learning and growing. When we try new things, we are challenged to be brave and to open our hearts and minds to new ideas and experiences.
Then Jane told me that she used to be afraid of failing; she used to think that she needed to be perfect and always get everything right. But now she knows that trying new things is exciting. It’s like going on an adventure! And in the end, she said, “You know what, Mom, many times the journey we take and the things that we learn and experience along the way are far more important than producing a final product, reaching a goal, or arriving at a set destination.”
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, as you go out into your busy week ahead, don’t worry about perfection. And don’t simply run to reach the finish line. Enjoy the journey as you learn and grow and experience new things. And if you start feeling nervous or worried or afraid, remember that you never walk the path alone, for God is always there, supporting you, strengthening you, and encouraging you to do wonderful and amazing things!
My friends, may it be so. Thanks be to God! Amen!
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