1. Imagined Fears (Grasshopper Vision):
There is a classic account in the Bible where twelve spies are sent by Moses to explore the Promised Land (the Land of Caanan). Ten of them come back with a report that they saw giants in the land and spread a bad report in the camp about the land which disheartened nearly six lakh men in the camp.
Morevover they told the people, “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” This is popularly known as the “grasshopper vision.” All the people believed this report. And instead of stepping out in faith to conquer the land for themselves they marched around in the desert 40 years and lay buried in the sand. They lost their opportunity because they failed to step out because of imagined fears.
But two of the spies (Caleb and Joshua by name) looked ahead to God’s promise to be with them and said, “We can certainly do it.” They were the only ones (out of more than six lakh men) who survived the desert wanderings of 40 years to step into the land of promise. So dear friends, do not dig your own graves by seeing giants on the other side. Instead step out and conquer.
2. Fear of Failure
Are failures so bad after all? If you tell me that failures taste like rotten eggs; I would agree. But does that mean that failures are to be feared? Indeed not.
Think about great players: in football, in cricket, in hockey, in basketball, in swimming, in entertainment etc. Did not all of them have their moments of failure even after being acclaimed great players? Very much, yes! But did they stop playing their game because of it? NO, not at all!
In fact, they are remembered as great because their success is viewed against the backdrop of their failures. In other words they are seen as ordinary human beings capable of failure conquering their goals which made their victories all the more remarkable.
Therefore the final verdict is made not on the basis of your failures or victories but in terms of the passion, commitment and team spirit with which you played the game. So friends, the greatest failure is the failure to step out because you feared failure.
But if you fail when you step out, do so fighting. In that sunset is glory; in that bloodied battle, honour.
3. Fear of Change
All attempts towards progress involve change. And change is resisted by each one of us. It is resisted simply because change is inconvenient.
We are happy with familiar landmarks. Leaving them behind involve stepping out into the future which is unknown. It involves learning new skills, the attitude to adapt, the courage to say goodbye to the comfort of yester years, the passion to build new relationships and of course being enthusiastic about the change itself.
But most of us fear change. If at all we’ve to succeed we need to make ourselves available to the winds of change; not that we surrender our freedom or our integrity to be true to our principles. But we say yes to what is positive in that which change brings along.
So dear friends, let me conclude by asking you to stop being afraid of change. Don’t get stranded on lonely islands. Step into that boat that comes your way. Who knows what treasure lies beyond the horizon; or who might be waiting to receive you on the other side?
Now we’ve seen three fears that keep you away from living life meaningfully. You need to always believe that at any one point in time there is only one like you on planet earth. So make your life count by making a positive impact on all those lives you touch. So friends, step out and make that portion of the world you live in a better place.
Do not cave in to your fears. Instead brave them and live life to the fullest. “A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, . . .” — Jesus Christ.
Related Post: Motivational Speech: Do Not Limit Your Vision
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