It is easy to walk If you are the average walker you may say, “It’s no big deal!” Likely you walk around hardly thinking about it. You freely walk because it is a means of transporting yourself from where you are to where you want to go. Most likely you subconsciously walk while intentionally doing other things; be it conversing with a fellow walker or talking with a business partner on your cell. Simple.

It is not easy to walk If you are just getting accustomed to your new legs as a toddler or just activating your atrophied legs as a disabled person, you may think that walking is a big deal! Walking, at times, is very difficult. Complicated.

My personal struggle with the ravages of PML to my brain and nervous system has served to show me that. What once was almost mindlessly achieved, now takes incredible mental intentionality. Walking is synchronizing several components or actions, all initiated by the brain sending signals to different parts of the body. One distraction, one break of concentration, one wrong impulse or lag in signal can throw everything off. Problem. 

Fear inhibits the walk Watch a toddler make her first independent steps. Watch a disabled patient make his. Apart from overcoming the awkwardness of learning coordination of all the necessary actions, is overcoming the fear of what may happen when they don’t! Disaster.

Fear is a good thing When fear serves as a supportive mechanism to avoid potential harm, it is certainly both necessary and needed. A hot stove, a sharp surface, and a coiled snake are all to be “feared” or treated with respect. The same could also be said of confidently operating from a high position without a net or carefully hiking across Knife Edge on Mt. Katahdin. Warning.

Fear is not a good thing When fear serves as an unsupportive mechanism that inhibits right actions, then it is certainly not necessary or needed. A child may not let go of the edge of the swimming pool, even if the parent is assuringly present in the pool to receive them. A patient in rehabilitation may hesitate to step without support, even if the therapist reassuringly says, “I’m right behind you!” Sure! No problem! Just give me a minute. Fear can feel stronger than will. Intimidation.

The Christian walk is also not easy To follow as a disciple of Christ is a walk that is to be learned over much practice. Several components of faith in action must be woven together to result in freely walking with Him. Fear of the unknown often inhibits each necessary step. I know! Consequently such fear must be overcome, over and over again, in order to mature and make progress. Growth.

What fear is inhibiting your ability to walk?

“… for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV