Hey, Carpool Crew. I'm Pastor Justin, and maybe you're finishing breakfast or getting ready to start some homeschool. Either way, I'm so glad you're here. So you know that dog, the one behind the fence that's absolutely losing its mind anytime someone walks by? See, maybe you're just walking down the sidewalk, minding your own business, and suddenly, bark, bark, bark. And you think, "Who let the dogs out?" your parents will get that joke. Your whole body jumps, and maybe you cross the street with your friend or your parent. Maybe you walk a little faster when you know you're going by that house, and maybe you're thinking, "There's no chance I'm walking past that dog again." But here's the funny thing. The dog is behind a fence. He's still loud, he's still scary, but sometimes fear makes something feel bigger than it actually is. Now, here's the one thing I want you to remember for the ride. Tell the truth about what scares you. Listen to this from 1 Samuel 17:45. David said, "You come against me with a sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of armies." I love this, not just because it's a David and Goliath story. I love it because David doesn't look at Goliath and say, "You're not scary." That would be ridiculous. Goliath was huge. He had a sword. He had a spear, a javelin. He was trained as a warrior, and David was a kid standing there with a sling. But David tells the truth about what he's facing. He doesn't stop there either. He also tells the truth about God. Basically, David says, "Yep, you got a sword, and a spear, and a javelin. Those are some pretty scary weapons, but I've got God on my side." See, that's what fear sometimes does to us. It gets us staring so hard at the scary thing that we forget everything else that's true. Maybe you're nervous about walking into a new classroom. Maybe you're scared about a test that's coming up. Maybe there's a kid at school who is kinda mean to you. You haven't made a friend out of them yet, and maybe you are just afraid of the dark when you're going to sleep. I know what it's like to be afraid of the dark. That's okay. Now, don't pretend things aren't scary, but tell the truth. "I'm scared about this. I don't know what's gonna happen when I do this. It is really hard for me to this." Just tell the rest of the truth, that God is with me. So even though it might be scary, even though you're not sure what's gonna happen, even though it feels so big, God is bigger than what I'm afraid of. See, that's what David understood. Goliath was big, but Goliath wasn't bigger than God. So here's something I want you to try this week. When something starts feeling huge in your head, stop and say, "What am I actually afraid of?" Name it, whatever it is. Then ask, "What do I know is true about God?" Maybe it's as simple as, "I'm scared to walk to practice today, but God is with me." That's it. You don't have to pretend you're fearless. Courage isn't pretending something isn't scary. Courage is knowing what's true and moving forward anyway. So let's go back to the one thing I want you to remember for the ride. Tell the truth about what scares you, tell the truth about the scary thing, and then tell the truth about God. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you've been liking this podcast, remember, for less than the cost of a snack run at a gas station, you could be a subscriber. Tomorrow there's a brand new Questions from the Back Seat asking, what does it mean to fear God? If you're a subscriber, you're gonna love checking it out. I hope you consider it on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Now, before you go, let's answer this question together. What's something that feels scary right now? And what's one thing you know is true about God? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling With Jesus.
