Transcript included below…
Today, we’re going to conclude our discussion about the fears we face as guitarists.
As I mentioned last week, fear is not fun. But it is important to acknowledge, because it does come into play on our guitar journeys, and when we are aware of it, we can do battle with it.
Last week, in Episode 49, we talked about the first five fears we can all face as guitarists: Fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of hard work, and fear of losing control of our art.
Today, we continue with the next and final five. Are you ready? Let’s go for it.
Years ago, I was deeply moved by the TV movie “The Fourth Wise Man,” which was adapted from the short novel “The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke. This was a historical fiction based on Biblical circumstances. It wasn’t scriptural on all accounts, but it really made me think, and perhaps my summary of it will do the same for you.
Starring Martin Sheen, The Fourth Wise man tells the story of Artaban, the fourth Magi, who tries to follow in the footsteps of the other three magi, because he longs to meet Christ.
He knows that Jesus has been born and is in a manger in Bethlehem, and he begins a journey that he hopes will take him to that stable.
He travels with three precious jewels – a ruby, an emerald, and a pearl, all of which he hopes to give to Jesus, much like his fellow magi gave gold, frankincense and myrrh.
But his journey is not a direct path, and when Herod issues the decree that the children be slaughtered, Artaban finds himself in a small town. The soldiers are searching all the homes, and Artaban stumbles upon a young mother protecting her baby from what is inevitable.
Artaban chooses to save the life of this child by giving away the ruby to a soldier, who then says to his fellow soldiers, “There is no child here.” The look of gratitude on the mother’s face cannot be fully described.
Later, Artaban encounters a colony of lepers living out in the wilderness, and instead of passing them by, he spends many years ministering to their needs through medical care, but also helping them build a working water irrigation system so they can thrive, even as outcasts.
He has to sell the emerald to pay for tools, materials and medical supplies, but some of the lepers are healed or restored, because of the time Artaban spends serving and living with them.
Finally, years later, Artaban makes his way as a very old man to Jerusalem, where Christ is being crucified.
As he makes his way through the city, he encounters the daughter of one of his former colleagues who is being sold to pay for her father’s debt. This colleague who had lost everything had pridefully ridiculed Artaban in the past, so Artaban owes him nothing.
Yet, Artaban gives up the pearl to save this young girl from a life of slavery or worse.
But there, as he looks up and witnesses Christ crying out his last words before dying on the cross, Artaban thinks of himself as a failure. In that moment, Artaban collapses out of grief and exhaustion and passes away.
As he looks up, Christ is standing right in front of him, and Artaban recognizes him immediately.
This fourth wise man tells Jesus about how he has longed, his whole life, to give him the gifts he brought, but has missed the opportunities to do so, and upon meeting him at last, has nothing to give.
But in his gentle and comforting voice, Jesus says to Artaban, “Whatever you have done for the least of these, you’ve done for me.” This is a direct quote from Matthew 25, verse 40.
I lead with this illustration because our calling may be clear, but even if it isn’t, nothing is wasted in the Lord’s hands, especially when we are doing what we do for His glory.
So, let’s look at fear and how we can face it in five more ways…
#6. Fear of Missed Calling.
Have you ever had the fear of missing out? Some people abbreviate it with FOMO.
This is often a way to get people to jump on board with an opportunity before it’s gone. It’s a legitimate tool of marketing, one I’ve used from time to time with unique one-time opportunities I offer at GuitarSuccess4U like live interviews or bonus content.
FOMO is just a social experiment to see who will take advantage of an opportunity.
But what about missing out on an entire calling? Is that possible? To Artaban in “The Fourth Wise Man,” that’s how things appeared. He had felt called to bring those gifts to Christ, and according to his limited vision, he had missed his opportunity.
I might fall prey to this fear – that I’ve pursued the wrong calling and therefore missed my true calling by investing in one area over another – or perhaps I feel like I’ve started “too late” in life to make a difference. But where is the Lord in all of this?
If I knew, early in my life, exactly what I was called to, that would be ideal. If I had a time machine right now that I could use to go back and do what needed to be done, knowing what the future held, that would also be ideal.
But life is not ideal.
Artaban would have loved to have found his way to the Christ Child with those three gifts, entering the stable at Bethlehem right alongside his fellow magi.
Instead, he went on a long journey and only encountered Christ himself at the end of it…meanwhile God had other plans to use him all along the way, and Artaban obeyed.
So, are we pursuing our calling according to our agenda first, or are we walking in obedience?
Praying for the Lord’s wisdom, for a second chance, for a “later in life” ministry, is a noble thing, but it’s my conviction that the Lord’s calling on our lives is, in some way, an ongoing experience.
We may be called at some point to a single conversation. The Lord may use that conversation to direct us to an entirely different season than we might expect.
And even as Artaban “missed” his calling, he actually fulfilled another one that was perhaps even more praiseworthy. He was so busy ministering to the Lord’s people that he actually served the Lord in a very real way.
#7. Fear of Incomplete Work
This one’s a little subjective, but once we get into it, I think you’ll grasp what I’m going for.
I want you to think about some of the larger structures out there in the world that were built over the course of centuries, like some of the great cathedrals of Europe. There were laborers and artisans working on these structures that knew for a fact that their lives would come to an end before the work was finished.
And there were others who were born, grew up, and were trained to take up the mantle and continue this work.
Can you imagine how humbling it must have been to work on a grand structure like this, only to have to embrace the fact that you would never see it come to completion…that you would pass away long before the finishing pieces were laid into place?
Well, in some ways, our work is like that. Sure, we can have a career in music, and we can write and record as many songs as we have the strength to do, but maybe we won’t do as much as we’d hoped. Is that worth fearing?
For the world, yes.
For us as believers, no. We can start something that someone else can finish.
This isn’t just something that happens with music. Child rearing, developing a culture around a church or Christian school family…these are all legacy opportunities into which we can lean, but we can also embrace the fact that we are planting trees that future generations will be shaded by.
Think about sharing the gospel for a moment. I’ve heard that a non-believer has to come in contact with, and have intentional conversations with, several believers whom he or she considers to be rational, thinking people of integrity, before considering accepting Christ. One person told me this number is around 30.
I can’t say for sure how many folks spoke to me before I accepted the Lord, but I know it was more than one.
If someone “leads” someone else to Christ, are they the ones who have done all the work? Well, no – especially since the Holy Spirit is actually the one working in that individual’s heart. But if the believer is ministering to and inviting the nonbeliever to faith, and they accept the invitation, it’s not just because of the work of that last person.
To use another analogy, many drops of water have impacted the stone before it broke…and for the final drop to take the credit is, in a way, a little arrogant. We each have a part to play in impacting the lives of others, and this side of Heaven, our view of what is happening at the time can be very limited.
And by the way – the work of discipleship should then follow conversion – and in this way, more people are brought into that new believer’s life.
If I were a part of building a cathedral in Europe, and I was the one to place the final stone on the top, or carve the final sculpture in one of the columns, would I have been the one to have “built” that cathedral?
No – in this scenario I would be a part of the crew, but there would be many who would have gone before me and laid the foundations, the structure, and crafted all the artwork, inside and out.
There could be a temptation on the part of the cathedral makers, or the music makers, to fearfully see their work as potentially “incomplete” and therefore not even worthy of starting, but imagine if the builders of the great cathedrals out there thought this way. We wouldn’t have their beautiful structures today.
So, if I’m “building musical cathedrals” and I’m afraid that I won’t see their completion, I need not fear.
Even if I don’t finish what I’ve started, as long as I lean into it as much as I’m capable of doing, perhaps the Lord will use my work as a testimony to inspire someone else to carry on my legacy in their ministry.
I again go back to GuitarSuccess4U.
I have a name that I like to call my members. I call them my Guitar Successors.
And this has two meanings – first, I desire their success, but second, I know that one day I will play my very last song on the guitar. I don’t know when that will be – the Lord knows, but I’m all about legacy. So, in creating this experience, I want to pass along my wisdom, passion and values to others, and in that way, they are also my Successors, because they will succeed me, right?
If you feel a prompting from the Lord to become one of my Successors, please listen to that prompting. I would be honored to speak into your guitar journey and impart encouragement, wisdom, and tools to enhance what you’re doing or hope to do.
Please take time to find out more at GuitarSuccess4U.com.
#8. Fear of Success
The first fear we talked about in our previous episode was the fear of failure. Believe it or not, there can actually be an inverse fear called the fear of success.
This is a much subtler force, and it has several names. It can masquerade as laziness or procrastination, but the root of the issue is actually self-sabotage. And it actually incorporates several of the fears we’ve been discussing.
Basically, what happens subconsciously is that a guitarist or artist is actually afraid of bringing their dreams to life, because they just don’t know for sure that they want everything that comes with that reality.
They may fear the idea that with a certain level of success, everything could become overwhelming and precarious, and it might all fall apart.
They may fear succeeding at something and the temptation to become prideful, which they might consider a form of failure.
They may fear the new frontiers they’ll need to cross if things get more complicated (as they usually do when plans take on momentum.) It’s possible that they will need to expand their team as they expand their reach, which involves trust, and not all teammates prove to be trustworthy…even in Christian circles.
They may figuratively apply their own parking brake, even as they are pressing down on the gas pedal.
What does this look like, practically?
Not writing down the song that keeps spinning in their head.
Not making time to practice, when they do have the bandwidth to work on their skills.
Not sharing their music where they have clearly been invited to share.
Not stepping out in faith to create a small recording project to see how the process goes, and
Not embracing what may actually be a calling.
Self-sabotage is not what the Lord desires of us. Going back to the parable of the talents from last week, the Lord does desire our faithfulness and stewardship, even if we only double two talents to four, instead of five talents to ten.
But we need to say no to fear, and step out in faith, even with small steps.
And what happens if we succeed on some level? If we are committing our work to the Lord, He will be there to give us discernment for the next step, and He may also provide godly counsel to enhance the conversation.
I’d rather embark on success – according to my definition – than to fear it.
Life can get overwhelming at times, and our task list can take over. There are various seasons to our playing, of course, and sometimes we need to do less. But let’s not abandon our good work because we’re afraid of the new levels of ministry that come with success.
#9. Fear of Man
This is a big one. And it’s probably the one that comes up the most on my guitar journey. There are many subsets to this. And these fears come in the form of questions.
What if people don’t like my music and they tell me so, either directly or by their silence?
What if they don’t want to bring me out to serve their community at a ministry endeavor?
What if they don’t value what I do, and they aren’t willing to pay me for my efforts?
What if someone want to take advantage of what I do for their own gain, and they want to steal my ideas and present them as their own without crediting me?
What if they will be critical of what I’ve worked so hard to create? What if they won’t follow, like or share what I post on social media, or worse, what if they “dislike” or provide a negative comment about it?
Well, these are all “what if” questions, and sometimes playing the “what if” game takes me nowhere fruitful. Sometimes it can actually be pretty destructive to my progress and mindset.
First of all, as I’ve talked about, not everyone is going to like my music. Some may actually dislike it. Can I live with that? I think so! But for those who do like it, that connection means that much more.
Not everyone will book me to share a concert. It’s ok – the Lord knows where I’m supposed to serve. I may want really badly to serve at a particular church, school, camp or conference, but the Lord may have that door closed for a very specific reason which may remain unknown to me.
And “no” could mean “not right now,” but even if it means “never” I can still be at peace with the Lord’s sovereignty.
What if someone wants to copy my work and misuse it? Well, I do take intentional measures to register my works with the Library of Congress so that they are all legitimately copyrighted, but people infringe on copyrights anyway. This is, in a way, a form of stealing. But again, as we talked about in our previous episode, with #1 - Fear of Loss, we might not be meant to have that song.
My heart actually goes out to the thief, because there just can’t be a lot of joy in a life like that.
Proverbs 10:2 says “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit.” And it’s God’s economy. They’ll have to answer to Him for their thievery. The Lord sees everything.
What if people are critical in some way? Well, constructive criticism can serve me well. But there are haters out there. And all they want to do is criticize and speak negatively.
They may hate what I do, but there’s a passage of scripture that really lends some perspective.
In John 15:18, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”
Wow. That’s actually quite liberating. He can take it. He’s much stronger than I.
Let the haters come. Let them comment negatively. If I can, I’ll delete the comments. I may also have my settings set on “approve” comments. But people are born into sin, and there will be folks who say negative things about what I do.
And perhaps I just need to have a thicker skin and to consider the source. But I need not fear man.
Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
Which brings us to the final fear of our collection…
#10. Fear of God.
Now, just to be clear, God has the capacity to put fear into the hearts of His enemies. He can, He has, and He will.
But for those of us who look to Him as our Lord, the kind of fear we are called to carry is a holy fear, which might be better described as awe. Like the respect and fear we might have of a lion, or the raging sea.
These are images that are beautiful, but also deadly in the right context. To have awe and respect for a lion allows us to appreciate its might and strength, but also to realize that it could take our lives from us in an instant. The same is true of the ocean.
Colossians 1:17 reminds us that the Lord holds everything together. We are standing on the earth, held down by gravity, because of Him. This commands – or ought to command – our fear and respect.
I recall walking through the student bookstore in college and seeing a stack of Bibles on a shelf. The Bible was likely a textbook for a history class, as this was a public, secular university.
But when I heard the snide remark of a fellow student, I was grieved. “Holy Bible,” he said with a chuckle. “I don’t need that stuff.” He didn’t actually say “stuff,” but you get it.
That is an example of disdain and total disrespect. That’s the opposite of awe. I’d venture to say that this individual was exalting “self” above God, simply by his conduct and speech. I was offended.
And yet, in some contexts, I’m not permitted to speak or sing about my beliefs, because others don’t want to hear them.
We live in a world where people are often walking on eggshells with their words, because they fear that they might offend someone else by what they say.
Now, I don’t go out of my way to offend people at all, but if in the process of being obedient to the Lord and His commands, I were to disappoint someone who does not treasure Him, that person might get really offended.
With respect, I’d much rather offend man than God. Any day of the week.
Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “If fear of the Almighty is the beginning of wisdom, then surely fear of the Almighty is the starting place of any fruitful endeavor.”
So with my desire to have fruitful endeavors, I say, “fear the Lord.” Let this be the only fear we embrace and live out, on our guitar journeys and in our calling as guitarists, and especially as followers of Christ.
Wrap-up
Today we brought this discussion of facing fears in for a landing. The 10 fears we’ve reflected on over these past two episodes are as follows.
Last time, we discussed: fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of hard work, and fear of losing control of our art.
Today, we discussed: fear of missed calling, fear of incomplete work, fear of success, fear of man, and then the only legitimate, worthy fear – the fear of God.
I’m not sure if any of the nine illegitimate fears in our discussion are ones you’ve wrestled with or are wrestling with now, but my hope is that this discussion over these past two episodes has provided some good food for thought, or at least some comforting words from scripture.
We need not fear anything or anyone on earth…and as long as we have a holy fear or awe of the Lord, we’re in a great position to have fruitful endeavors.
I’ll conclude with one more phrase that has stayed with me for nearly 20 years. It was embroidered on a quilted banner in a small church in Wellington, Colorado where I performed a concert. Here’s what it said: God’s will done God’s way for God’s glory never lacks God’s provision.
Mic drop.
I’ll say that one more time. God’s will done God’s way for God’s glory never lacks God’s provision.
If God wants it to happen, and he wants you to be a part of it, do it His way for His glory, and He’ll make it possible. In spite of circumstances. In spite of doubt or fear. In spite of what anyone else might do or say.
So, the next time any of these illegitimate fears come to mind, say “no” to any or all of them, and say “yes” to fearing and trusting the Lord to guide you on your journey.
Keep showing up, and watch the Lord show up when you do!
And if you want me to keep making these episodes of Guitar Serious Fun, I’d love to know. Please leave a comment, a five-star review if the platform allows it, or even share it with someone. I don’t know how long I’ll be making Guitar Serious Fun available, but based on interest, I’ll keep churning these episodes out.
Thanks for experiencing my work, and I’ll see you next time.
The 10 Fears we Face as Guitarists (Part 2 of 2)