- Are you a risk-taker?
- Has God put a dream on your heart or a vision in your mind that feels too big?
- Are you longing to find your purpose and walk in your destiny?
- Is there something you have always wanted to do for God, but have been too afraid to try?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then please keep reading!
Becoming a risk-taker:
Stepping out of your comfort zone is a scary and daunting thing to say the least. However, knowing God’s got your back, should give you that courage to take your first step.
One example of a risk-taker in the Bible is Abraham. He completely trusted God, and although the risks Abraham took were huge, they were measured and balanced, because he knew the character of God. Let’s consider the risk Abraham accepted:
“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him.”
Genesis 12: 1-4
In summary, God told Abraham to leave his home, his family and his country for the unknown. Imagine that! Is there a greater risk than leaving somewhere you feel safe and secure, for a place of uncertainty and instability? I know what my response would have been! I would have been overwhelmed with fear and doubts, and would most likely be as stubborn as possible! However, Abraham’s attitude towards this request is one to be admired. Rather than coming up with excuses or wanting to know exactly what was in store, what did he do? Abraham agreed and did exactly as God instructed. He trusted that God would be true to His promises and so followed His direction.
That was only the beginning of Abraham’s risk-taking. Later on in Genesis 22:1-18, Abraham is presented with a situation in which he had to risk the life of his own son, Isaac. Again, Abraham obeyed God’s voice, without any objections, and went up to the mountains to offer his son, demonstrating just how strong his faith was in God.
“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith – for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.”
Hebrews 11:8-10
Taking measured and balanced risks is proof of our faith in God. We should not fear taking risks when God asks us to. We do not need to fear if the risks we take are based on our faith in the God who can do all things.
No dream is too big:
Nothing is too big with God involved; anything is possible!
“And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
I don’t really need to elaborate on this, but I will! There are countless moments recorded in the Bible that demonstrate how the impossible was made possible with God. Moses seemed to have no escape from the Egyptians when leading the Israelities out of slavery, yet with God alongside, he parted the Red Sea. David, a weakly shepherd boy squared up to a giant of a man who was sure to squash him flat, yet with God alongside, he defeated him with ease. Daniel was on the menu for the lion’s lunch, yet with God alongside, he left the den unharmed. I could go on and on… put simply God is in control and has our best interests at heart. Therefore nothing is too big for Him to handle!! So when we put our faith and trust in the almighty God, we too can tackle anything that comes our way!
“For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13
Discovering your purpose:
Focusing on yourself will not reveal your life’s purpose because the Bible says in Job 12:10, “It is God who directs the lives of His Creatures; everyone’s life is in His power”. But how can we determine what our purpose in life is? Think about it this way: The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it – the same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: ask God. By turning to God’s word, instead of the world’s wisdom, and building your life on eternal truths, you will better understand what you have been called to do.
“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.”
Ephesians 1:11
You discover your identity and purpose through your relationship with Jesus. It’s important to spend time in prayer, to read the Bible and to actively seek more of Christ, to deepen your relationship and faith in Him. When you do so, you’ll better understand your calling in life and who you are as a person. In today’s society, it’s hard to not want to maintain full control and to meticulously plan everything, but we should try to follow the path God has set before us rather than our own desires. See, God planned your life before you existed, without your input! Therefore, He knows exactly the course of your destiny, including the purpose for which you were made. God gives each of us gifts, skills and talents which we can use to serve and bless others. If you’re at a point where you’re unsure what these are, then pray about it! Ask God to show you what your gifts are and for opportunities to explore them.
Leaving fear behind:
Sometimes we can be afraid to try new things that we feel led to do because of the fear of others, and what they would think of us.
“We are not trying to please people, but God, who tests our hearts.”
1 Thessalonians 2:4
Another reason we avoid starting something is the fear of failure. Failure stops us from doing what God wants you to do. If your human fears are keeping you from doing Kingdom tasks, it’s time to look at how to move beyond this fear. We can begin to leave fear behind when we seek God’s guidance. Firstly, it is okay to make sure you heard God’s voice correctly. Think of Gideon; he took time to converse with God and make sure he was on firm footing and understood exactly what God wanted him to do.
“Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him. He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded. Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.”
Judges 6:33-40
It might appear that Gideon was testing God or doubting Him, but ultimately, from seeking God’s guidance and spending time in conversations with Him, this brought Gideon peace. Once we feel we understand God’s directions, it’s then time to move forward with trust and step out in faith. A good amount of failure is not trusting God with the outcome. Instead of questioning ‘What if I fail?’, the question should become ‘Who am I trusting?’. This links back to the opening of this study, when we considered Abraham and how he trusted in the character of God. God is an all-loving, all-powerful, all- knowing God. He promises to always be with us and not forsake us. He promises to give us strength and wisdom, courage and direction, forgiveness and hope. When we know God, trusting Him should be easy! The Bible is full of verses about trust, but here is one of my favourites:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
So to summarise: We need to be BOLD to dream big and have deep faith that God is in control and will direct our paths; that He knows exactly where we are headed and how we’re getting there! To be BRAVE to take risks and try new things, by trusting fully in God and knowing He is always with us; this will give us the courage to step out of our comfort zone rather than live in fear! Finally to BELIEVE in the character of God and the promises He makes; that He has good plans for us, knows the purpose of our lives and loves us unconditionally!
God Bless! 😊
STEADFAST 