Faith Over Fear: 3 Things I Learned While in Honduras
By Shaun Shuler
Here I am looking out into the Caribbean, thinking on the lessons GOD was teaching me on this trip to Honduras.
Have you ever thought of doing something or been asked to do something but felt unqualified, because of past mistakes, or a lack of knowledge or skills on the given task?
If you have, welcome to my world. Many, if not most of us have struggled with the feeling of inadequacy at one time or another.
One of those instances for me was back in 2005, when my former church scheduled a mission trip to Honduras. I would like to share the 3 things I learned from this experience, and I’m hopeful this will help anyone facing fears and doubts about doing something GOD is leading you to do.
Throughout the Bible we can find many examples of people who were faced with choices and plagued with fear. One of those examples I want to reference today is Gideon.
There is a lot to unpack in the story of Gideon but I’m only going to focus on Judges 6:12, 14-15. You can read the complete and interesting story of Gideon in chapters 6-8 in the book of Judges. In short, the people of Midian were oppressing the Israelites by destroying their crops and stealing their livestock, which led to starvation.
14 Then the Lord turned to him [Gideon] and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” 15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family."
Judges 6:12, 14-15 NLT
Throughout my life I find myself to be a lot like Gideon. I will feel God leading me to do something (talk to someone, pray with someone, go on a mission trip, teach Sunday School class) and I’ll question it and be overcome with fears and doubts.
Here Is What I Learned in Honduras:
Focus on “HIM” Not “I”
I wore this all-around Honduras. “Jesus Christ is my Savior” in Spanish.
In the 1st half of verse 15, Gideon’s mistake here was when he asked, “How can I rescue Israel?” In verse 12, the first words out of the LORD’s mouth was, “The LORD is with you...” and in verse 14 “I am sending you!” yet Gideon was wondering how he alone could possibly save Israel.
When the Honduras trip was announced, I felt a strong desire that GOD wanted me to go. From getting my passport, to being able to save up the necessary funds, nothing stood in my way from going except myself. So, with 2 months prior to us leaving, I begin to get riddled with fears and doubts. What will I be doing when I get there? Would I get along with everyone going? Will my shyness prevent me from being useful? Will I be safe? Can I really make a difference?
The thing I was needing to learn here was to stop asking the “I” questions and know that whatever I would be doing, GOD would be with me as He has called me to go on this trip.
Joshua 1:9 NLT
GOD may not be calling you to rescue an entire nation, but He maybe leading you to pray with someone, or something on a bigger scale, like leaving the country to go on a mission trip. Do not let fear and doubt keep you imprisoned. If GOD is calling you to do something, He will be with you every step of the way.
Embrace Faith Not Excuses
Since I couldn’t speak Spanish, I decided to wear it. I made several shirts with scriptures on it. Here is Romans 5:8 But GOD demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” —Benjamin Franklin
In the 2nd half of verse 15, Gideon makes the excuse that he was too insignificant to do the task at hand ...”I am the least in my entire family!”
Once I found out I would be with a group of guys helping build a radio station in Honduras, the excuses started to pile up. I have no construction background and barely know how to use a hammer and nails. I only knew maybe 3 words in Spanish. I figured it would be awkward with me being single at the time and all the other guys going were bringing their wives.
I would’ve been happy just helping the ladies conduct Vacation Bible School with the kids, because that was something I knew I would be comfortable doing. However, GOD was more concerned with building up my faith and reliance on Him than how comfortable I felt.
When we are operating in a place of safety and comfort, we are prone to be more self-reliant and less dependent on Him. As a leap of faith, I set aside all my excuses and decided to go on this trip and simply trust GOD with the details.
So, what exactly is faith? Faith is taking an action without any physical proof that it will work or be successful and KNOWING, deep in our heart, deep in the core of who we are, that everything will be ok, because GOD is in control.
“And it is impossible to please GOD without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that GOD exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NLT
My Availability Is More Important Than MY Ability
The site where the radio station was being built. We were partnering with several churches that would go one week at a time to work on this. Most of the radio stations that existed were being bought up by others, so a decision was made to build one from scratch.
Now we fast forward to chapter 8 where we see everything GOD said in the beginning of chapter 6 came true, GOD gave Gideon the victory over the Midianites.
Judges 8:22 NLT
Gideon could’ve been totally consumed by fear and choose not to trust GOD and would’ve missed out on this amazing miracle. Gideon, however made himself available to be used by GOD, in spite of those fears, and GOD gave him the victory.
This is the biggest life lesson that I learned by going on this trip to Honduras: GOD doesn’t need my ability as much as He wants my AVAILABILITY.
Although I was full of excuses, fears, and doubts, I went to Honduras and was amazed. Being the odd man out with no roommate, I ended up rooming with one of the locals who was our driver for the week. He spoke no English, I spoke little to no Spanish, and yet we had a camaraderie that could only be orchestrated by GOD. Granted there were odd moments, like when I got locked out of the hotel room and he answered the door completely naked. The last day we were there, I gave him my English/Spanish Bible to help him on his quest to learn English and also to learn about GOD!
At the site where the radio station was being built, there was also a young teenage boy that I ended up working with most of the time. Undeterred by the age and language barriers, we were able to accomplish the tasks we were given. This made me realize that GOD can do incredible things if we just show up where He wants us to be and trust Him. This experience really cemented Proverbs 3:5 for me:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5 NLT
You may never get called by GOD to go to another country for short or long-term mission work, but for sure, He will call you to do things for Him right where you are. If you get this tugging in your heart, from GOD, whether it is to do or say something when you are at work, school, with your families, seeing a stranger at the store, or wherever you are, follow through and do not fear. No matter what the task is, all you need to do is make yourselves available to His call and to trust in Him to complete His will through you. Remember, we are just the vessel that GOD uses to accomplish His purpose here on Earth and He is faithful.
"GOD will make this happen, for He who calls you is faithful."
1 Thessalonians 5:24
Have you had struggles with fears and doubts, or a time where you embraced faith and GOD did something amazing? If so please leave that or any comments, prayer requests, or ideas for new topics you’d like for me to discuss in the comment box below.
Thank you.
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