I am more and more convinced that the things we fear aren’t as bad as the fears associated with them. In many instances, the best thing that can happen to us is for our fears to be realized so that we realize the thing we feared wasn’t as bad as the fear we felt. And God is right there to pick us back up! Maybe the things you fear are the very things that will take you to the next level spiritually. We’ve got to face our fears because we grow to the level of our fears and no further.

For several years I had a nagging fear that Union Station theaters would close. It got pretty intense three years ago when AMC pulled out and Phoenix pulled in. My blood pressure went up. But so did my prayer life. One key to prayer is translating our worries into prayers–Philippians 4. On the positive side, the more you worry the greater your potential for prayer. Worry is a great catalyst for spiritual growth. But fear is not from the Lord. In fact, perfect love casts out all fear.

Here’s what I’m getting at. The thing I feared has happened. And, yes, I was in an emotional funk for a few days. And, yes, I’m processing lots of feelings including grief. And, yes, I’m not sure where this will take us. But I’m also energized by it. And I sense God’s presence in this! What an amazing leadership opportunity. I’m so glad I’m leading a church that finds itself in a situation like this. It might sound masochistic, but I’m loving this while I’m hating it. We’ll grow through this as a church. I’ll grow through this as a leader. And we’ll come out the other side stronger because of it.