No Guarantees: A Lesson in Walking Through Fear

Dear Reader,

Today I came across a reflection in my Sober App about how often we wait for guarantees before we commit to anything—from planning a trip to making a life decision. That struck home. From my own experience, I know how often I become almost immobile when I expect life to offer guarantees before I act.

Of course, I know this is unrealistic, but that doesn't stop the fear from creeping in. And when fear takes root, it doesn’t just paralyze me—it leads me to procrastinate, delay, or give up on things that could bring meaning or joy.

A Personal Example

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to serve in my church’s temple. It was something I wanted to do—something I felt called to do. But my mind filled with questions:

• Will I have time?

• What if the shifts are in the late afternoon and I can't keep it up as days get shorter?

• What if I say yes and then fail to follow through?

These concerns, though based in reality, began to hold me back from something good. That’s when I recognized the pattern: I was looking for guarantees. And when we start demanding certainty in an uncertain world, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment.

The Trap of Wanting Guarantees

Wanting guarantees can become a trap—especially for those in recovery. Why?

Because guarantees don’t exist.

When we try to control outcomes, we create stress. When our expectations aren’t met, we become resentful or discouraged. And when stress and resentment pile up, relapse is often not far behind. That’s why I’ve learned that it’s not the fear itself that causes trouble—it’s how I react to it.

What Recovery Teaches Me

The lessons that help me most are thought out and spiritual. Here’s what recovery has taught me:

• Fear is an emotion, not a fact.
  It doesn’t need to be obeyed.

• We overcome fear by walking through it.
  Each step becomes a checkmark in the box of actions that have worked in the past.

• Recovery is action-based.

  “The steps are a path of action. There is no recovery in theory—only in practice.” — 12-Step Speaker Wisdom

• We hand over fear to a Higher Power.

  “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” — AA Saying

• We act as if—until the 'if' becomes real.

  “It is not enough to wish and wait; we must move forward, trusting that God walks with us into the unknown.” — Howard W. Hunter, LDS Prophet

• We give thanks.
  Gratitude to God and others keeps us grounded in humility and grace.

The Bottom Line

We don’t need guarantees to move forward. We need faith—and faith is action. If you act in love, truth, and spiritual principle, and things don’t work out as planned, you’ve still succeeded. You’ve done all you could do—and that’s enough.

Every time we walk through fear, we leave behind a trail of evidence that God walked with us.

By the Grace of Christ,
Amen.

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Appendix of Quotes for Walking Through Fear

Recovery Wisdom

• “We must act our way into right thinking, not think our way into right action.” — Bill Wilson

• “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” — AA Saying

Christian Theology

• “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” — Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

• “Do not be afraid; only believe.” — Mark 5:36 (KJV)

• “It is not enough to wish and wait; we must move forward, trusting that God walks with us into the unknown.” — Howard W. Hunter

Wisdom & Philosophy

• “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

• “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” — Martin Luther King Jr.