Take God into Account

       The pilgrims had listed their reasons for going and they were good and noble goals.  They had also developed a list of reasons to stay, a combination of real dangers and imaginary fears.  As each day passed, the fears grew.  Would the group ever have the courage to set sail?  How would you decide?

       Here's how Bradford records the answers to their objections.

1. "All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be met and overcome with answerable courage.  the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible."  Every great task has risks that must be met with an equal amount of courage.
2. "Many of the things feared might never befall."  The pilgrims realized that a fearful imagination can get the best of you.
3. All the fears "through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome."  The pilgrims list their reasons and their fears and then they let God walk into the room.
4. They believed they might expect the blessing of God because their ends were good and honorable.  What a clue to help us in our own decision-making processes.

Bradford ends his discussion of their decision with a statement of courage in the face of fear:  "Though they should lose their lives in this action, yet might they have the comfort of knowing that their endeavor was worthy."  God bless those pilgrim-adventurers.  May their tribe increase!