The Risk Worth Taking

My husband and I are church planters who got married at the age of 20, who had five kids, and who decided to remodel an old farmhouse and start many ministry ventures. Needless to say, taking risks is something we've become familiar with.

Different life stages offer opportunites for different risk levels. For example, when I had 5 small children, going to the grocery store with them was a risk-- I always felt like I conquered the world when I arrived home! As life changes, your opportunity to step out in faith also changes. God didn't create you for mediocrity or for average; He created you to do great things!

Doing the things He has put in your heart will bring you fulfillment beyond compare; the only obstacle is having the faith to take the risk! 

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them walking on the lake, When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."  " Come," he said. - Matthew 14:22-29

What is God asking you to do that will require you to take some risks? What are the things He's asked you to do in the years past that you never went through with because the risk factor was just too large?

Everything good in life requires a little bit of risk. You will never be 100% sure the decisions that you make, but if there is no risk involved, there is no faith required!

One year for my birthday, some friends bought me a certificate to go sky diving. Jumping out of an airplane would have been extremely thrilling, but I missed my opportunity. The whole year went by and my delay caused the certificate to expire. As exhilarating as skydiving would have been, I feel like my every day obedience is just as thrilling and opportunity around me is just as fleeting. Delay can very easily turn into disobedience.

Obedience to God is the safest risk you can take! Writing a blog is a risk, starting a business or a podcast is a risk, starting a family is a risk; however, at some point, in order to see the dream and desires of your heart come to pass, you have to step out!

I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate-I was scared to death if you want to know the truth of it-and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the message came through anyway. God's spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power… 1 Corinthians 2:3-5

The truth is God will never force you to take risks. He will put the dream in your heart and see if you will have the faith to see it happen! You might feel inadequate, or even scared to death, but that's where faith kicks in; you don't rely on your own strength but on God's power! 

When Jesus called Peter out of the boat to walk on water, Peter wasn’t 100% sure of what would happen but He was responding to a word from Jesus! When God gives you His Word, you can have faith to take the first steps forward. As long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, His word will be all the security that you need. Peter didn’t get inside his own read with doubt fear, or even human rationalization. He wanted to walk on water like Jesus, so he stepped out. Jesus didn’t make him, Peter chose to take the first step.

The greatest risks we've taken have, not only yielded the greatest returns, but have grown us in our faith as we've trusted in the Lord every step of the way! Adventure and true living doesn't happen in the boat, and your best year yet won't happen in the boat-- it happens as you take the first steps to walk on the water! 

Your life doesn't have to be boring; your life of faith shouldn't be boring. God didn't create you to stay in the boat and be bored; He created you to have the faith to walk on water!

Take the limits off of what you think is possible and learn to hear God's voice, and ask Him what His plans are for you; then, have the faith to obey and take some risks!

God has some great things that He has put in your heart, so get out of the boat and go on the adventure you were created for! 

-Xoxo Joie