A lot has been said about facing our fears. I could start with lots of different clichés about this. We all know adventure is out there. You miss 100% of the chances you don’t take. Strike while the iron is hot. The list goes on and on. These are all great pieces of advice, some of which have been done to the point where they have lost meaning. And I am sure that these have all struck a chord with us at some point. But I am sick of the glossy finish we have put on this idea.

Because here is the thing:

I have always loved adventure. Going new places. Trying new things. Etching new experiences in my senses and documenting every moment. But I realized some time ago that I only loved the pretty adventures. Or the endeavors that minimalized risk. Where the path was easy to navigate and ended peacefully.

When I read those cliché quotes they didn’t tell me about the times I would feel lost. Or the times where I felt uneasy. That being “fearless” was pretty scary sometimes.

It took me awhile to figure out that I did not always get to pick and choose my adventures. That there were certain adventures that I did not even realize God was calling me to pursue. That sometimes a failed adventure was a new trail being discovered. That being fearless was not always about me, but rather for the people around me.

When God said, “Do not be afraid,” it was less about avoiding the troubles and rather persevering through them. It was about relentless faith. Trusting that it would that I would find my way.

That I was fearless because there was no better option. Would it always be easy? Not even close. But that wasn’t the point. The point was deciding that that struggle wasn’t good enough. That I couldn’t accept that this would not be worth it. It is always worth it.

I have learned that there are a lot of ugly moments in life. Moments that none of us asked for. That we would rather do without. When they happen I find it most comfortable to climb back into my shell, and wait for the pain to go away. It is too scary to confront the pain.

But to me, being fearless means refusing to let that pain go unnoticed. To do everything possible to make it right. To learn from it.

Do not shy away from fear. Attack it.

Be fearless. Have insistent courage. Persist through the ugly moments in life. Trust in the one that holds your heart.