When our daughter was a toddler, my husband would sometimes set her atop our refrigerator and invite her to jump forward into his arms. She never once hesitated in doing just that.
Not one time.
There was no pondering the risk she was placing herself in by stepping off a height nearly four times her own. Never any doubt that her daddy would be there to catch her and swing her high in his strong arms. There was just a giggle of delight and the utter abandon of the moment as she breathlessly asked him to, “Do that again!”
Complete trust in your father will do that, you know. Lead you to try something you would never attempt on your own, despite the risk.
We could learn a lot from a trusting toddler.
Similar to my young daughter, I have often stood at the edge of risk. Unlike her, I hesitated to fling myself into Father’s arms so freely. More often than not, I felt ill-prepared for the journey. Uncertain of where I might end up after taking that first step.
What if God looked away for an instant and left me hanging?
What if I somehow slipped through His hands and fell flat on my face?
This was risky business.
I realized things could turn out badly if God did not carry the day.
I could be in over my head.
This could all be a mistake.
BUT . . .
This also could be a direct (or indirect) answer to a prayer.
This could be the fulfillment of a dream or a way of releasing me to better things.
This could be yet another opportunity for me to see God’s hand moving on my behalf.
This step of faith could be just that – a step of faith.
After all, what is faith without a risk?
In her book Restless, Jennie Allen writes the following: I am terrified. This could fail. This may not even be from God. And I am going to do it anyway.
Mind you, she is not referring to a blatant “in your face, doing-it-my-way-no-matter-what” attitude toward God. Rather, it is an “I’m trusting you to catch me if I fall because I think this is You, God, but I’m terrified still” approach to something beyond mere human capacity.
It’s worth noting that faith always takes us beyond mere human capacity.
It’s also wise to remember that while Jesus called His disciples to be many things, SAFE was not one of them.
Unfortunately, the majority of us live too timidly with our belief. Afraid of risk. Paralyzed into non-action by the threat of failure.
But what if this fear is a ploy? What if Satan is the one who is really afraid? Afraid you will succeed. What if he sees the forces aligning themselves against him and knows his only hope of thwarting those forces is to send whispers of terror to halt your advance?
If God calls you to step out in a way or place that seems terrifying — DO IT.
Do it scared.
Do it uncertain.
Do the thing that is calling you to lean heavily upon the Lord.
Step beyond the safe and secure where human tendency tells us to dwell.
The worst that could happen is that you will fail (and hopefully learn from your mistakes).
If God is stirring something within your heart that you know you’d never dream up on your own, chances are you are onto something. And chances are Satan will be dashing to your doorstep to convince you otherwise.
Don’t allow fear to stop you from chasing that dream.
Don’t allow unbelief to sway you from experiencing God’s best plans for your life.
Don’t shrink back.
Instead, allow the unknowns and the uncertainties to lead you closer to Father (and, therefore, further from the devil’s taunts).
Those things you are unsure of? They are fully known to God. That includes your heart and all its desires and dreams.
He knows all about your insecurities and your struggle to believe. He understands your fear of fully trusting Him. And low and behold, He is not moved by any of it.
Did you hear that? God is not shaken by your quivering faith.
Not.One.Little.Bit.
Nothing causes Him to come undone, not even doubts of His very existence.
Nothing you or I can do or not do makes God anything less than Himself, and therein lies all the confidence we need.
So take a deep breath, my friend. Then move beyond the border of safe and comfortable, knowing Father will be there to catch you and to order your next step.
And the next.
And the next.
You and I don’t have to see the end from the beginning. We really don’t even need to see beyond that first footfall. We just need to take it and trust that God will be there to catch us in His arms.
After all, faith is not really so much a risk as it is a rest.
So rest in knowing God is the one known in all the unknowns.
And maybe, just maybe, you will look to Him with gleaming eyes and breathlessly exclaim, “Do that again!”
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FOR REFLECTION
Have you ever stumbled upon faith at the edge of risk? How do you generally respond to those moments?
How can you move forward despite your fears and take that step of faith God is asking you to trust Him with today?
I would love to hear your stories of faith. Or even your struggles with fear. So please take a moment to leave a comment below.