Afraid and Grateful
Fear is Sneaky…
If you’d told me a few years ago that fear had a grip on me, I would’ve laughed it off. Fearful? Me? Not a chance. Awkward? Absolutely. Angry? Maybe (okay, definitely). But fearful? That wasn’t even on my radar.
And yet, here I am, realizing fear is sneakier than I thought. It’s a shape-shifter, hiding in plain sight, often more obvious to others than to ourselves. Fear doesn’t always look like panic or avoidance; sometimes, it’s disguised as control, overconfidence, or even the routines we cling to. Left unchecked, it quietly shapes our decisions, our relationships, and how we see the world.
Fear is like background noise—always there, but rarely grabbing our full attention. It whispers things like:
What if I fail?
What if they leave?
What if they were right about me?
What if I’m not good enough?
What if they reject me?
It shows up in anxiety, hesitation, or the endless excuses we make to stay where we feel safe. It keeps us stuck in jobs we’ve outgrown, silent in moments we should speak, or disconnected from the people who matter most. Sometimes, fear makes us shrink back just as we’re about to take a step toward something meaningful.
Sound familiar?
The Leap
Maybe you’ve felt the pull to try something new, to take a leap, but that nagging “what if” stopped you in your tracks. Or maybe you’ve stayed in situations you know aren’t good for you because the unknown felt too risky. Fear does that—it makes the familiar, even when it’s harmful, feel safer than stepping into the unknown.
But what if we could see fear for what it really is? What if, instead of letting it call the shots, we leaned into gratitude, choosing to trust that God’s plans are bigger than our doubts?
Let’s get into it.
Fear in Our Bones
I’ll set the scene for us:
God’s people, the Israelites, have been slaves in Egypt for generations. They long for freedom, but hardship and oppression is all they’ve ever known.
The Israelites knew fear all too well. . Just as you might inherit your father’s eye color or your grandmother’s nose, fear ran so deep it was part of their DNA.
Enter Moses.
God sent Moses, an unlikely hero, to free the Israelites from their captivity. His message was beyond comprehension for them:
You will be free.
You are more than slaves.
God has a legacy for you beyond your imagination.
God had a promised land for His people—one flowing with milk and honey, where they would have a legacy to pass down through generations.
As unbelievable as this sounded, the Israelites began to see the promises of God unfold before them through incredible and miraculous signs and wonders.
When I was a kid and heard the stories of the 10 plagues and the incredible signs, I’d think:
If I saw incredible miracles like this, my faith would be HUGE.
Maybe you’ve thought this too:
If I was blessed like that person, I wouldn’t have doubts.
If I experienced a miracle, I would have such big faith.
If life was easier, I would believe that God was with me.
If my problems were fixed, and life looked the way I believed it should—THEN...
Statements like these make so much sense.
But we can see from stories both in scripture and in life that our memories are short. Our eyes rarely stay focused on past blessings when new problems arise.
And we see this in the lives of the Israelites.
Our Default to Fear
Even with God showing them incredible miracles and favor, fear was right there with them every step of the way:
Fear of the unknown: As soon as the Egyptians gave chase, they panicked, wishing they’d stayed in Egypt (Exodus 14:10-12).
Fear of scarcity: In the wilderness, hunger turned into grumbling, and they longed for Egypt, where at least their stomachs were full (Exodus 16:2-3).
Fear of abandonment: When water was scarce, they questioned whether God was even with them anymore (Exodus 17:1-7).
Fear of losing control: When Moses stayed on the mountain too long, they built a golden calf—an idol, a god they could touch and control (Exodus 32:1-4).
Each time hardship hit, their focus shifted from what God had already done to fear.
Autopilot
Several years ago, our family moved. Where I used to turn right from the parking lot of work, I now needed to turn left. I can’t even count how many times I made it halfway to our old house before realizing I was going the wrong way. I’d get lost in my thoughts, lose focus, and autopilot would kick in.
This is what fear does in our lives so often. It kicks us into some kind of autopilot, heading back toward what we’ve known for so long, even if it’s not where we belong anymore.
Let’s not miss this: The Israelites did not like Egypt—they loathed it. They did not enjoy slavery; they had cried out for help for generations. But when fear hit, autopilot kicked in.
This happens to us all too often:
Stressful situations draw us back to addictions we thought we’d left behind.
Difficult circumstances kick us back into anger, shouting, and mistreating others, even though we’ve worked so hard to shift our minds and hearts.
Uncertainty convinces us to cling to toxic relationships because at least they’re predictable.
Panic fuels quick fixes over long-term solutions.
Challenges make us doubt the progress we’ve made, tempting us to turn back.
Insecurity pushes us to retreat into isolation even when we know we’re better in community.
Fear whispers that the familiar, no matter how harmful, is safer than the unknown.
And this is what’s happening to the Israelites.
Breaking the Cycle
The Israelites went through an incredibly difficult journey and finally reached the Promised Land. This was it, right? The moment when fear would lose its grip?
They stood on the bank of the Jordan River, a stone’s throw away from the plan and purpose God had promised them.
Twelve spies went across and scouted the land, and saw its abundance. Even though the 12 men had identical experiences, their reports were very different. Ten of the twelve focused on the challenges and decided it was a lost cause. The autopilot of fear kicked in, and yet again, they wanted to return to the known.
But two men—Joshua and Caleb—saw things differently. They focused on what they had seen God do throughout their journey. They remembered His faithfulness in difficult circumstances. They shut off fear by focusing on gratitude—not just for what God had already done, but for what they knew He would continue to do.
Of all the Israelites who arrived at that bank, only two would ever live to see their Promised Land: Joshua and Caleb.
Grateful and Afraid
It would be ridiculous to assume this is easy. “Just stop being afraid!”
But there is a truth we can’t miss: fear kept the Israelites on the wrong side of the Jordan River. Gratitude led those two men through that river and into the plans and purpose God had for them.
Hundreds of years later, King David, a recipient of the legacy carried across the Jordan by two grateful men, wrote these words:
Psalm 56:3-4
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Your Promised Land
So, what “Promised Land” are you standing on the edge of? What’s the Jordan River you need to cross?
Maybe fear has kept you from moving forward—fear of failure, rejection, or the unknown. But what if you trusted that God has already equipped you for the journey?
Take a look back and see how far God has already led you, and express gratitude for all He has done. When we look around and thank God for His provision, we can trust that He’ll guide us into the future He’s prepared for us.
Fear doesn’t have to write your story.
Don’t stand on the edge of the Jordan. Step in, and see what happens.
Next Week
Next week we’re going to talk about resentment. This is an important topic for many of us as we prepare to share Thanksgiving, and the Holiday Season with our friends and family. So let’s lean in!
