How to Face Your Fear and Do it Anway - with Janine Mason

We’ve all been there - staring at an opportunity that excites and terrifies us at the same time.

For me, it wasn’t a business meeting or a board presentation. It was standing at the edge of a gorge in Zimbabwe, strapped into a harness, with a hundred meters of empty air beneath my feet.

I’m not afraid to admit it... I was terrified. Every part of me wanted to back away. But somewhere between the fear and the faith came a whisper:
“Please, Jesus, help me.”

And then I took the step.

That moment, and the many others that followed on our trip, zip lining across the gorge, whitewater rafting the crocodile-filled Zambezi, climbing out of steep ravines, became powerful reminders of what courage really looks like.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear.
It’s the decision to move forward with God in the middle of it.

Listen to the Podcast Here

What Facing Fear Looks Like in Real Life

When we arrived in Zimbabwe, everything that could go wrong with travel did. Delays, exhaustion, missed ministry time, you name it. Yet, when we finally arrived, God met us with stories of transformation from the people we’d ministered to the year before.

That alone could’ve been the story. But God had more in mind.

We ended our ministry trip with a few days of adventure: game drives, hikes, and what I thought would be a calm, relaxing break. Instead, it became a week of facing my fears in very literal ways.

I learned that when we step beyond our comfort zone, God doesn’t just help us survive, He shows us new perspectives we can’t see from safe ground.

Four Key Steps to Face Fear and Do It Anyway

These are the same principles I took from those wild, unforgettable days in Zimbabwe. They apply just as much to your next business decision, team conversation, or leadership risk as they do to zip lining across a gorge.

1. Recognize Where Fear Is Speaking

The first step isn’t to pretend fear isn’t there—it’s to recognize it.
Fear has a voice. It says, “What if this fails? What if I’m not enough?”
But God’s voice says, “I am with you.”

Pay attention to what fear is saying. It often reveals exactly where God is inviting you to trust Him next.

Question for reflection: Where is fear holding you back right now, your finances, a new opportunity, or a conversation you’ve been avoiding?

2. Invite God Into the Fear

In the middle of the gorge, I whispered, “Jesus, help me.” That was my moment of surrender, and it shifted everything.

You don’t overcome fear by pushing harder; you overcome by inviting God closer.
When you make fear the place you meet Him, it loses its power to rule you.

Pray: “Lord, I’m scared, but I trust You more than I trust my fear.”

3. Take One Brave Step

Faith isn’t theory - it’s practical.

For me, it was literally taking three steps down into open air. For you, it might be making the phone call, pitching the new idea, or saying yes to an opportunity you feel underqualified for.

You don’t need to see the whole way across the gorge. You just need to take the next faithful step.

4. Walk with People Who Encourage You

I couldn’t have done it without Andy beside me.
Sometimes courage looks like having someone slow their pace to match yours, walk alongside you, or even carry your load for a while.

In leadership and in life, we need people who remind us, “You can do this. God’s got you.”

Ask yourself: Who’s walking with me in this season? And who might need me to walk with them?

Fear Doesn’t Get the Final Word

When I finally reached the top of the gorge, sweaty and exhausted, I realized something powerful:
I didn’t want anyone else to carry my gear because I needed to know that with God’s help, I could carry it myself.

That sense of achievement wasn’t pride. It was evidence of growth.

And that’s what happens every time we face fear with faith, whether it’s a physical challenge, a business risk, or a conversation we’d rather avoid. We discover a little more of God’s strength inside us.

A Challenge for You

Think about one area in your life or business where fear has been calling the shots.

What’s one small, courageous step you can take this week—and how can you invite God into it?

You don’t need to be fearless to be faithful.
Just take the step… and do it anyway.

Join us in-person:

Are you near Montana or Florida or Illinois or Georgia? We have upcoming events near you - check them out on Heaveninbusiness.com/events.

Also, if you know of full-time students that would love to get a head start in how to partner with God and multiply Kingdom Impact, there’s a special discount of more than 50% for the upcoming Heaven in Business conference. Check out the details here: Heaveninbusiness.com/conference26

Want to hear more from Janine?

Grab a copy of her book, Kingdom Tools for Teaching or Dream Culture: Bringing Dreams to Life. Or shoot her an email [email protected] with your question in the subject line.