“But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'” Luke 1:29-30. That moment when the angel Gabriel greets Mary touches me deeply.
As I put myself in Mary’s shoes, a young woman, an astonishing appearance by an angel, being asked to do the impossible … imagine. I cannot. In my own life, there are times—often, very often—that the Lord in some subtle way asks me to do something far less astonishing, far less impossible and I, too, am disturbed, confused. I, too, am afraid.
I might think: “Oh, I don’t have the stamina to do that.” (Fear.)
I might think: “Oh, I don’t have the intelligence to take that on.” (Doubt.)
I might think: “Oh, ‘so-and-so’ can do that better.” (Anxiety.)
I might think… Well, actually, I think lots of other things, too. And if I stop and examine them, it becomes clear that they are all based in fear.
A friend once told me that “be not afraid,” “do not despair,” “fear not,” or some version of this is in Scripture 365 times because God knows we face fear every day.
I haven’t taken the time to go through the Bible to count, but I have noticed that message from God so much more often since this friend said that to me. God knows we need His Spirit, His strength to do what He asks us to do. He needs us to be His hands and feet on earth.
I know I cannot do what He calls me to do without His help. I know there are people that are smarter than I. I know everything I do could probably be done better by someone else. But I have also come to learn and now know: none of that matters. For whatever reason, He has called upon me! He will give me what I need to do whatever He has called me to!
The ONLY thing I need to do is say “yes” and have faith … trust … and perseverance to do what He is calling me to do.
Sounds easy, right? So, why do I constantly overcomplicate it? Why do I continue to have doubts? Well, I’ve noticed that I have more doubts, fears, and lack of trust when I am not attending to quiet time with God. I need to spend some time, even if only a small amount, in the morning and the evening. In the morning I must ask God to shape my day, give me the gifts that I will need and, most importantly, let my work be His work. In the evening, I need to reflect on the day, give thanks, listen to what I can do differently, and then let go and go to sleep. I need to be sure I am attending to my prayer life. Discipline is difficult, so I do skip here and there; however, I do desire it as I do want to stay close so I can hear His voice more clearly.
I like to “chat” with God throughout the day, but I must admit they are mostly “gimme” prayers. These conversations are usually me seeking help to get through something. In those moments, I have a “ugh” hit-myself-in-the-head moment as I realize I am not listening and saying “yes” to God’s direction. I am telling Him what to do. I think if I did spend more quiet time with God, some of these moments would go away as well … again, pretty simple!
Sometimes, I must admit, I laugh as I imagine God laughing and saying, “Really, Susan, I think we’ve talked about this before at least a gazillion times.” I feel His patience with me. I feel His gentleness. I feel … blessed.
I hope in the days ahead, I pray, that I remember that all I have to do is say “yes.” He will do the rest.
No fear, no doubt, no needless anxiety. All I have to do is listen. Really, could Our Lord God make it any easier? So, my Advent prayer this year is that I—and everyone I love—simply say “yes” over and over and over.
Advent blessings to you and yours,
Susan Wallace, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor. There are so many titles that define me ever so bountifully; however, my most important title is now, “Yes-man” …Well, “Yes-woman,” but that doesn’t roll off the tongue as well.
- Visit our new Advent page, The Power of One "Yes" to God, offering resources throughout Advent to accompany families on their journey to Bethlehem and the celebration of Christmas.