The story of a certain man goes like this:
“I grew up in a certain village which was at the foot of a great mountain, the word brave was a vocabulary that was spoken in every household, especially to the boy child. We were not allowed to cry; that was left to the other gender. Though it was very absurd to hear someone was not brave, I think my inner man was telling me the same story each day without fail. I was afraid of the night and its darkness. That was for sure, any time I would walk in the dark, my fears would follow me and would keep running after me until I entered the house.
In fact, I cannot remember as a young boy when I walked alone for a distance without the company of others at night. After initiation, being a young adult, I was to behave like one. The options were either to stay at home with my siblings or to walk out with other young men. I loved walking around with young men even at night, but not alone. I was very keen, especially after the darkness fell, not to be left alone because I could not walk home alone after hanging out in the market.
One day, the rain poured so heavily that everyone sought a place to go in the nearby shops. I stayed in the park with some young men who were from another village in a hotel. As the rains subsided, everyone ran as fast as they could before another downpour. I had not realized that the young men from my village had left a long time ago. When I went out of the hotel, there was no one whom I could cling to for moral support as I went home. It was quite a distance, about 4km, and I was left with one option: to be brave enough to cut through the night to get home.
I tried the first time, and after a few steps into darkness, I felt so uneasy that I went back to the hotel. The time by now was past 11.00 p.m. The road to our home was full of thickets and tall trees. Every time I thought of walking on that road, I felt so afraid to the extent that I could not move. I hesitated for a couple of minutes, and finally, the hotel was closed. Now I had no other option left other than going home.
This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever made in my life. Outside the hotel, it was lit, and just a few meters away was total darkness. Only a few drunks were moving here and there. I gathered my strength and bravely came to my aid. I made a few steps into the darkness, with a lot of care. Fear engulfed me like a coat as I continued following the way home. I ran in some places, and I looked back tens of times, if not a hundred. I learnt a lesson that there is a time when we are left alone to make a life-changing decision. Such a time is very crucial, we need to step into that darkness, and though still engulfed with fear, we shall make it to the other side of safety and comfort.
After this horrendous day, I tried it another day, and now the courage to face my fears reaped a bunch of joy. At least during this night of trial, the moon was giving me some light. I started walking at night, day by day, as I defeated my fears. Though it took time to eradicate fear, I was finally free.”
The story of this young man was an eye-opener to me. My brother we are full of dreams and great destinies are ahead of us, but fear of the unknown always engulfs us most of the time. We become unable to move an inch towards our God-given destinies.
Let me speak to you, there is a need to take a deep breath, jump into that darkness with the certainty that you shall finally reach home. Though you shall look back several times, like what the young did, remember you cannot turn back; you are expected to report home. Just try it today. That fear needs you to make up your mind and face it bravely. You have what it takes to be what you want to be.
For those who know about the Bible story about David and Goliath, David was so brave that even the bears of the field would not stop him leave alone the uncircumcised Philistine. You are so pregnant with ideas and a great destiny, you have one option to face your fears for once, and the rest is history. Start that business, start those studies, ask for the hand in marriage of that beautiful girl, buy that land, ask for forgiveness from your spouse, start a new thing, and so on.
Remember, opportunity knocks once, and when it is lost cannot be regained. You have a whole lot of opportunities, but fear is pulling you back. Push it aside and take it bravely as a shield. You can make it.