How do you handle fear?

Being in a position of leadership won’t give you courage, but showing courage will establish you as a leader in the eyes of others. Larry Osborne said, “The most striking thing about highly effective leaders is how little they have in common. What one swears by another warns against. But one trait stands out: the willingness to risk.” Courage isn’t the lack of fear; it’s doing what you’re afraid to do. It’s having the power to release the familiar and advance into new territory. The psalmist said, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (v. 6 NKJV). Roman historian Tacitus wrote, “The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.” Courage has the reverse effect. It swings doors open, which is one of its most amazing benefits. British theologian John Henry Newman said, “Fear not that your life will come to an end but that it will never have a beginning.” Without the courage to begin, you have no future. Here is something ironic: those who lack the courage to take risks and those who have the courage to take risks experience the same amount of fear in life. The only difference is that those who are afraid retreat while those who show courage advance. So how do you handle fear? Do you embrace it or try to escape it? Do you put yourself in situations that stretch your faith? Or have you withdrawn so far into your comfort zone that you never feel fear? Only when you have answered these questions can you begin to overcome your fears.