By Sr. Modesta Okha MMM

Fear has a way of asking endless questions. What if I fail? What if things do not go as planned? What if I am not strong enough? We have all heard those questions at different moments in our lives. They often come when we are about to begin something new, standing on the edge of the unknown. 

I met those questions on the banks of a river in Torugbene, a riverine community in Delta State. It was my first journey by boat, and I was terrified. As I waited to board, my imagination was already painting frightening pictures. What if I fell into the water? What if the boat broke down in the middle of the river? I cannot swim. What if strong waves overturned the boat? 

For a moment, fear almost won. 

Then, beneath the noise of my anxious thoughts, I sensed a gentle reminder: Be courageous. God has not given you a spirit of fear. Those words did not make the river disappear or guarantee a perfectly smooth journey. They simply gave me enough courage to take the next step. 

I climbed into the boat. 

As the engine started and we glided across the water, my heart gradually became still. The cool breeze brushed against my face, the river stretched peacefully before me, and the quiet beauty of creation unfolded all around. I watched women casting their fishing nets with confidence born of familiarity, while children and families went about their daily lives along the riverbanks. What had seemed frightening only moments before became a place of wonder. I found myself thanking God for the beauty that fear had almost prevented me from seeing. 

That journey taught me something I continue to carry with me. Fear often exaggerates the dangers ahead and blinds us to the possibilities waiting on the other side. If I had allowed my fears to keep me on the shore, I would have missed not only the experience of travelling across the river but also the deeper lesson God wanted to teach me about trust. 

Life presents each of us with moments like that. Our “boats” may look different. They may be a new ministry, a change of career, a difficult conversation, an unexpected diagnosis, or a call to serve in an unfamiliar place. Standing on the shore, the unknown can seem overwhelming. Yet growth rarely happens where everything feels comfortable. It begins when we choose to trust God enough to take the first step. 

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the quiet decision to move forward despite it, believing that God is already present in the journey. The river may still be wide, and the destination may not always be visible, but we never travel alone. 

Perhaps today you are standing on the edge of your own river, wondering whether to step into the boat. If so, remember that fear does not have to make the decision for you. Sometimes the most beautiful discoveries, the deepest peace, and the greatest encounters with God are found only after we have found the courage to leave the shore.