Stan is a friend of a one of the guys in our band at River Church.

Two years ago, on Palm Sunday, he stood up out of his wheelchair to find that his legs worked again. Doctors had told him his disease would continue to weaken him, but there he was…able to walk after all. (that’s a long story made short, btw)

I wonder if you are living a crippled life unnecessarily. Maybe there’s a fear in your gut that you can’t shake. It’s a disabling fear that really has no business ruling your mind.

• Maybe you think you’re not ready to lead well, so you sit on your vision waiting for “the right time” or the perfect conditions to pursue it.
• Maybe you’re afraid that if you don’t control over your life, someone will blow it for you.
• Maybe you think you’ll never get ahead financially, so you spend every penny you have on junk you don’t really need or experiences you can’t really afford for fear that it’s now or never, rather than asking someone who is good with money to help you get a handle on your financial world.
• Maybe you think it’s wiser to let issues in your life “blow over” than to confront them head on so that healthy growth can flourish with a little pruning and tough work.
• Maybe you are afraid your spouse will lose faith in you if you really own up to your mistakes.
• Maybe you’re convinced that if you dive into this “Jesus thing” too deeply, you’ll lose friends, respect, or your favorite “pastimes”.

99 times out of 100 our fears are a waste of our time, which means, in turn, that they’re a waste of perfectly good life.

You may just need to get up out of your wheelchair and try to walk for once. Quit blaming others, God, or even yourself for whatever has crippled you. Get off your keister and make a go of it.

“One day, God will free me from this. As soon as I have the right ____________, things will turn around.”

Well, maybe so.

But maybe you’re just chicken.

Stan wasn’t chicken. He heard God say, “Stand up”. And he did.