Faith Matters | Sometimes you have to set your fear aside and do the right thing

By June 1944, the Allied forces had amassed almost 3 million troops in southern England. Add to that more than 4,000 ships and 1,200 planes and they were the greatest invasion force history had ever assembled. On June 5, the eve of the great Normandy invasion, General Dwight D. Eisenhower distributed a letter to all involved. In short, it communicated the certainty he had in them to win the war. The last line stated:

“I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle.We will accept nothing less than full Victory!”

About a year later, the Nazis were defeated, and Europe was freed. But there’s an interesting caveat to the story. Years later it was discovered General Eisenhower had written a second letter. The second letter lacked the confidence of the first. In fact, the second letter was to be shared only if the invasion was a failure.

“Our landings have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold, and I have withdrawn the troops. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.”

General Eisenhower had to do the right thing, even when success wasn’t guaranteed.

Sometimes God invites us to do similar things. We’re called to raise kids who don’t act or think like us. We’re called to stay in marriages that aren’t always easy. We’re called to be generous in seasons where money is short. What scares us the most about these and the other endeavors to which God calls us, is there is no guarantee of success.

God invited Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall around the city. He had every reason not to do it. He worked for the King who reigned over the very country who destroyed the wall 150 years earlier. In addition to seeking permission to leave, he was also supposed to ask the King to give him guards for safe travel, and even to pay for the constructions costs. It was no small task. This so worried Nehemiah it took him four months to build up the courage to even have the conversation with the King. (see Nehemiah 1)

I have to wonder if at some point Nehemiah wrote two letters.

I have to think that through the quietness of this isolation season God has been speaking. He may have even invited you to do some things that scare you. There’s no guarantee how it’s going to turn out. What if you lose your job? What if they never speak to you again? What if you’re too old to go back school? At some point you have to stop gathering supplies and troops. At some point you have to stop planning and preparing. At some point you have to set your fear aside and do the right thing, even if when there is no guarantee of success.

Sometimes you just have to write two letters.

Faith Matters is written by members of the Manatee County clerical community. Phillip Hamm is the senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Palmetto. Reach the church at 941-722-7795 or visit fbcpalmetto.com.