This evening, we watched week 4 of Dave Ramsey’s newest class, The Legacy Journey, about the road to awesome. Jon Acuff was teaching and said something fascinating about fear. It’s also found in his newest book, Start. He writes:
Fear wants to isolate you and put you on an island.
I know the pain and anxiety and sorrow and shame of living on the island of fear. It’s a lonely and hopeless residence. It’s paralyzing.
My island was financial. You see, I remember what it was like to live on that island, isolated from others. I thought everyone else had this money thing figured out. I thought everyone else was doing really well with managing their finances. I thought I was the only one facing this seemingly insurmountable obstacle. I thought I was alone.
And so I carried on doing what I’d always done: hide the truth from everyone, acting like I had it all together.
Why is living on the island so dangerous? Jon continues:
Fear wants to isolate you and put you on an island. As long as you keep your fear to yourself, no one can tell you the truth about it.
For years, the fear of what others would think of me because of my poor financial situation kept me from getting help. I limped along, falling farther and farther behind on bills until God rocked my world with the news that we were having a baby. My fear seemed so inconsequential suddenly. It was no longer mine and Jaime’s story alone, but a new character was entering the narrative—one that would be totally dependent on us for her survival. It was time to move off the island.
Thankfully, God placed people in our lives to help us sail away from that island. There was a long voyage ahead, filled with potential storms and rocky shoals, but we wouldn’t sail it alone. God and His people were along for the ride, punching fear in the face and spurring us on.
Are you living on the island of financial fear? You are not alone. While we’re sometimes afraid to say it, there are others out there on the high seas, fighting the same fears. It’s time to board your ship and set sail.