For many people, doing anything outside of their comfort zone brings up a very deep fear inside of being isolated and alone. Taking risks and stepping out to do something new or scary makes them feel like they are all by themselves in the universe. Maybe you can relate to this fear in other areas of life, like starting your own business, going back to school, or taking some other sort of risk.

For a variety of reasons, when doing something new, many people feel alone and scared.

It's not as if they really will be isolated if they try something new or scary, for most people who would be sharing their faith are grounded in some sort of community. But the truth is that most people have more support than they actually use. They don't take their fears and frightened feelings to others for support and encouragement. Instead, they repeat lifelong patterns of "going it alone."

And when the time comes to take a risk, like sharing their faith, the fear wins out. Going it alone did not give them the courage that was needed.

The reality is that no matter how much "community" they have available to them, they still do suffer from some significant aloneness that keeps them paralyzed in fear. The same fears that keep them from trying other things in life that are risky keep them from sharing their faith as well. What if they are rejected in the process?
The good news is that God understands your need for support in life, and especially in doing the work of the gospel. In Jesus' prayer for the disciples and all that would follow, He prayed for their "oneness," or "unity" (John 17:20-22). We cannot do the things that God requires of us without that kind of oneness.

And if you have fears of standing alone in sharing your faith, take Solomon's advice to heart:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV).

Many times people can overcome long-standing fears of stepping out and sharing just by finding a few others who are committed to them in the process. Find a few good people who will stand with you and pray for you as you step out and try something new in personal evangelism. That way, when you fall, or when it doesn't go well, you can come back to your team and find out that you aren't alone. Every warrior needs a camp to return to.

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