I was recently approached to facilitate an evening training program for which I provide leadership for its implementation. I looked at the schedule and I had over seven sessions to facilitate every so often. There and then I told myself, I couldn’t do it. This is too much work.
I had just got into a routine of picking up kids, leaving office by 4:30 pm so that I could be in time for their pick up. This had become my daily routine. Drop kids off to school by 7:30 am. Get to work by 8:00 am. Leave office by 4:00 pm, get to the kid’s school by 5:00 pm and try to get home by 6:30 pm. This is what I was used to.
Telling me to change my routine from leaving at 4:30 pm for home to 7:30 pm seemed like it was interfering with my time as I had scheduled it. I was therefore ready to reject the opportunity. Meanwhile, it came with some extra income but I was so bent to saying no.
However, just before I could say no, I was reminded that I was doing this work not for myself but for others. If I were to turn it down, I would be denying someone a message that was meant to be got from the training sessions. A message that would turn their lives around for the better.
I immediately had to change my mind and allow to be used to serve others through the gift of encouragement.
Many times, we fail to take on opportunities to serve because of our own selfish reasons without thinking about the person that is to benefit from our act of service. In my mind I was thinking about the amount of work and time that would go in for preparation and delivery of the training. On top of that I had the anxiety for public speaking which anyway most people get when they are going to speak before an audience.
To date I have so far covered five classes and I am asking myself why I wanted to turn down the opportunity. Guess what? I am loving it!!! I enjoy the sessions and have learnt a lot from the participants as well.
This is how life is, opportunities come by and we turn them down because of fear. We turn them down because we do not want to get out of our comfort zone and miss out on the benefits that come with the opportunity. I was going to miss an opportunity to serve, inspire and equip others. It is a great feeling to speak into the lives of others and is rather fulfilling that I am willing to do it even when I feel so exhausted. I realize that this is my calling and I have got to do it anyway. Whether afraid or not. You do not have to be a Jonah where you will end up being swallowed by the whale.
What have you been called to do and you are afraid of?
