BRIDGING THE GAP

What is holding you back when you want or need to move forward?

On my first car trip from Virginia to Delaware, I decided to take the southern route through Virginia Beach before heading north up the eastern shore. What I did not take into account is that to get from one shore to the other, I had to cross over the Chesapeake Bay, involving a twenty-three-mile bridge-tunnel combination. I remember thinking to myself, ‘well, I have two choices: I can keep going or turn around and go back the way I came, adding many more hours to my already long drive.’

More than the added time, I struggled with the idea of personal defeat should I choose the latter option. The fear of finding myself on a narrow bridge with multiple narrow tunnels, surrounded by water is something I still to this day find troubling. Conquering my fears is an ever-present battle! I prayed for God to help me not give into the enemy of fear. The short answer to the very long bridge is that in God’s faithfulness, I made it across!

Since that day thirty-five years ago, I have made this same trip many times. I would like to tell you that in the fight with fear, I won the victory, but that’s not exactly accurate. The reality is that my “victory” against fear is rooted in the power of Jesus Christ not my will to overcome. The willingness to trust in the Lord’s provision is the only thing that propels me forward when facing any fear.

You may not be afraid of bridges or high places like me. Maybe you fear sickness or another challenging human condition. We all have them. But Jesus; He is our Overcomer!

Sherry Sharp