Bluegill - Cathy Joy Hill

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NIV

When I was eight and my brother nine, we would head to the neighborhood pool—a towel strapped on my bike and a fishing pole on his.

We promised Mom we had each other’s back. Eventually boredom or sunburn would get the best of me, and I would wander from the pool out to the pond. Normally I would find my brother alone, him and his fish. 

One day, however, a friend had joined him. The friend, seemingly intrigued with an audience, reeled in a bluegill, unhooked the fish, and began taunting me. Within seconds, it was a full-on chase, the fish flopping and me screaming. It was not one of my best moments.

Then something happened. I realized how ridiculous I looked, I realized I was exhausted, and I realized I was not afraid of fish. I turned and, with all the courage I could muster, screamed, “Give me the fish.” 

The look of shock and disappointment covered my pursuer’s face. His fun was over. He flipped the fish, now surely almost dead, back into the pond and simply walked away. 

Today, my fears are bigger than bluegill. Now, I stay up nights. It is not me who runs, but my mind. I am not quick to face my pursuer. Rather, I pledge to work harder, do more, and be more. I commit to all these things with the hope they will forge a wall against my fears.

Then, when every possible effort has not wedged its way in front of fear, I remember the bluegill. It is not more of me that musters strength, but more of God. It is not my courage that will chase the bluegills away, but my confidence in God. It is holding my hands up in surrender and watching Him, my Defender, remove the fear.

God never asks us how much we can take, how long we can endure, or how far we can run. He tells us to watch all He can do, hold, and manage.

How can you learn to trust God more? 

Tweetable: Are you trusting God? 

Cathy is a writer, teacher, and entrepreneur. She met her husband Brian while studying in Paris, France. They make their home in Geneva, IL, with their four children and their daughter-in-love. She loves writing about the wonder and whimsy of life and her love for Jesus. Her first book is Destination: Fierce, Moving from Fear to Fierce. Learn more about Cathy at www.cathyjoyhill.com.

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