The Arrow: Moving Forward When You’re Afraid to Miss the Target

Before an arrow ever reaches a target, there is a moment where it simply hangs in the balance, where it's held in place, trembling with anticipation.

That is where many of us live.

We feel God pulling us into purpose, stirring something new, nudging us forward…
yet fear whispers, “What if you miss? What if you’re not ready? What if everything falls apart?”

That moment before release is where purpose meets hesitation and it’s one of the hardest places to trust God.

🌿 When You’re Ready to Move Forward… But Fear Holds You Back

There’s a strange kind of fear that shows up right before a breakthrough.
It’s not the fear of going backward, but the fear of moving forward.

You feel the pull.
You sense the shift.
You know God is releasing something in you, but the closer you get to moving, the more you think:
“What if I miss the target?”

“What if I’m wrong?”

“What if I’m not strong enough for what comes next?”

That fear feels real because stepping into purpose requires courage, movement feels risky, and the unknown can feel more overwhelming than staying still.

I felt that fear deeply when I was diagnosed with cancer.
The moment I heard the words, everything in me froze in disbelief.

My life, my future, my purpose... all of it suddenly felt fragile.

I wasn’t afraid to die.
I was afraid to miss the life I was meant to live.
I was afraid of the unknown.
I was afraid of hurting those in my life.
Deep down, I wondered if I had what it took to face the journey in front of me.

That is the fear so many of us carry; not of failure, but of stepping into something we’re afraid we won’t be enough for.

🎯 Alignment Helps You Move Even When You Are Scared

In archery, once the arrow is placed on the string, the moment before release is critical.

The archer must:

• steady the breath

• fix the eyes on the target

• trust the alignment

• stay calm in the tension

• believe the release will carry the arrow where it needs to go

If the archer hesitates too long, the shot weakens.
If they rush it, they miss.
When alignment is right, the arrow doesn’t need to try. It simply flies.

During my cancer journey, I learned something similar.

In the beginning, I wanted certainty. I wanted control. I wanted the plan, the timeline, the outcomes. I wanted to know I would “hit the target” of healing and get my life back.

But cancer brought me to a place where all I could do was trust the alignment I had with God's heart:

Trust God.
Trust His nature.
Trust His love.
Trust that if He was releasing me into this season, He would guide the trajectory.

The fear didn’t disappear; peace grew stronger than it.

I didn’t step into that season because I felt brave.
I stepped into it because I stayed aligned, and alignment gave me strength I didn’t realize I had.

💛 What It Means to Be the Arrow

Once the arrow is released, it doesn’t control its flight.
It simply travels in the direction it was aimed.
Its power comes from the preparation before the release.

You are the same.
Your purpose depends on alignment, not perfection.

When God begins to move you forward:

• You don’t need all the answers.

• You don’t need to feel fearless.

• You don’t need to see the whole path.

• You don’t need to know how it will all work out.

You just need to trust the release.

You are not flying alone. You are being carried.

And the One who prepared, strengthened, and steadied you is the same One who releases you with intention.

The arrow does not fear missing the target. It simply trusts the archer.

🌿 Reflection for the Week

Ask yourself:
➡️ What step forward am I afraid to take because I fear failing or “missing the target”?
➡️ Where am I still trying to control the trajectory instead of trusting God’s release?
➡️ What would shift if I believed I was already aligned for the very thing I’m afraid of?

🙏 A Prayer for Alignment

“God, when fear rises and I hesitate to move forward, steady my heart.
Help me trust Your timing, Your hands, and Your aim.
Remind me that alignment has prepared me, and Your release will carry me where I need to go.

Give me courage to step into purpose, even when I feel uncertain.
I trust You with the flight.”

Next Monday, we’ll explore Week 6: The Target, where we will discuss how to discern what God is aiming your life toward and how to avoid the distractions that pull your focus away from purpose.

Until then, breathe, steady yourself, and remember:
You are the arrow, and God never misses.

With love,
Andrea John
🌿 Uncover identity. Discover purpose. Step into destiny.