I walked by the doorkeeper to the building where I taught English and wished him goodnight. He was a friendly man in his seventies, and I often paused to chat briefly with him on my way to and from class. The summer break was right around the corner, and as I said goodbye and stepped away, an internal voice told me to go back and share the Gospel with him. 

I paused, and a battle over whether or not to listen to that voice broke out inside me. On the one hand, I wanted to share the way of salvation with him, but my shyness and fear fought back and convinced me to wait for another chance. I never got one. When classes resumed in the fall, I discovered the doorkeeper had passed away. 

You can imagine what I felt when I heard the news—sadness, guilt, shame, and anger with myself at my cowardice. God’s nudge to share the Gospel had been clear, yet I hadn’t listened. Instead, I let my shyness rule my decision. 

I find it comforting to know that I’m not the only one with such struggles (not that it’s a valid excuse). The Bible is full of encouragement not to be afraid. One example is Joshua. God gave him the task of leading Israel into the land of Canaan. Not only did he have to fill Moses’s huge shoes, but he also knew many battles awaited him. He was probably shaking in his sandals.  

In the first nine verses of Joshua 1, God repeats the command, “Be strong and courageous,” three times. The Lord must have known that Joshua was feeling far from the brave hero Moses was. In verse nine, God explains why Joshua has no reason to fear by reminding him of an important truth—the Lord is with him. God’s presence ensures that Joshua will succeed in his mission. 

The same promise applies to us as we serve God. Whenever fear tries to keep us from listening to God’s voice, let’s remember that the Lord is with us and enables us to do His work.