august 5

There was a man crippled from birth who was carried everyday to one of the entrances to the Temple. We know which entrance in fact, it was a gate called Beautiful. And underneath the Beautiful gate was this less than beautiful broken person.

Now, I do not have a physical disability like this man, but I do know something about being broken. Because whether I look like I am or not, I am a broken man. A crippled man. And if I had to put a name on my disability I would call it fear. Fear is my greatest handicap. It is what paralyzes me. I have a fear of failure. And I’ve learned that I even have a fear of success.

A few years ago, my first book came out. And as the release date approached, the predominant emotion I had was fear. It overwhelmed me. It felt like I was trying to swim with leather boots and an army jacket. Needless to say, I didn’t handle it well.

Fear keeps me at the gate. It keeps me from going inside and experience the joy of Christ, the fellowship of his Spirit. It crushes my faith and leaves me begging at the door.

another little blurb from my sermon notes...