I was on youtube the other day just looking for something to watch and listen to. I came across a sermon titled “what’s on the other side of this crap” I know I know, call the Pharisees because this pastor just used non-Christian like language.

But if we being honest, most of us ask ourselves this question at least once or twice during our lifetime. You are struggling, life seems to be full of one obstacle after another, whether it’s lack, sickness, addiction or even just fear…

I have certainly asked this question a lot. Usually in the pit of a depression episode, whilst I’m feeling suicidal or when things just don’t go my way, and you just wonder, is it really worth it? Does it get any better? Is this all I got to live for?

You hear people saying everything you want is on the other side of fear. Hard concept to comprehend when you are so sure that what you are facing is about to end kill you.

Overcoming that is a simple as just facing your fear…

simple to say but not do.

Whilst I have dealt with anxiety that makes you feel like everything is falling apart and it’s your fault, my biggest obstacle has been fear of failure.

Being afraid to try or attempt to push through because I might fail and everyone will see me for the loser that I believed I was. This has pretty much left me with hiding myself, only doing the bare minimum that I’m certain I can’t fail at and only ever really stepping out when I have assurance.

I recently started a mental health first aid training, that I mentioned before.

For me this training was so difficult for two reasons,

Firstly, I was experiencing anxiety over being triggered, as someone with lived experience of mental illness I just feared that being exposed to the ins and outs of it may just trigger that in me, and honestly I don’t have time for that, I mean who does.

Second, and most interesting challenge I was facing was fear of exposure. The reality of sitting in a room, where the topic of discussion is about various aspects of your life, it has a way of making you feel like you are under the spotlight, regardless of the fact that no one in that room knows about it. And reminding myself that they don’t know only grips me to the fear and convinces me that I need to shut it so that it remains as such.

I received my certificate of accreditation yesterday and I felt a sense of relief and accomplishment. I was so proud of myself and glad I went through with it, so glad I faced my fear and didn’t quit like I wanted to. Because on the other side of that fear, is a better understanding of myself and some of the issues I face, a better understanding of the issues people I interact with on a daily basis face and I can help myself more and I do my job with more ease.

If we are being real though, the fuel we need to get through this ‘crap’ and overcome our fears is faith. I love these three translations of what faith is in Hebrews 11:1

Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen

KJV

Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see

NIV

Now faith brings our hope into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for

TPT

The one common denominator in all the success stories you will hear about and read about is that those people did it without the guarantee that it will work. They had faith and they pushed through, whether that faith was biblical, spiritual, logical or just a personality trait, they had that wisdom that they need to try and try again despite the obstacles failures or even persecution from peers. It’s all just faith, and it all involves hoping in something you can’t see.

One of my favourite influencers said something about faith that really stuck with me, she said ” you can’t say you have faith if you don’t use it, why would you come this far only to be dropped”

I don’t know what’s on the other side of the crap you are facing, the battle you are in, the obstacle you have come across, but just know you have to face it, armed with faith.