My wife and I run a small business from our home and often there come points when we talk about what we are going to do, how we are going to proceed or develop and what we are going to invest in. Generally, we wrestle with these issues before deciding on a course of action – we don’t tend to just jump straight in and go for it.
We talk about the various options and angles and try to predict what the outcome of various choices may be before eventually deciding on a course of action together.
The reason we do this is because we have so much invested in our business.
And it’s not just simply money.
We want it to grow and develop and ultimately succeed, but, to achieve this, we have to take risks. If we don’t, then the chances are that the business may well not develop in the way we would like and we will fall short of our aim and goals. The status quo is not really an option and success isn’t just going to fall out of the sky into our lap.
But the thing is, these risks are not just blind leaps into the dark.
They are considered, reasoned and calculated.
They can be uncomfortable but are nonetheless necessary for our business to thrive.
As believers, we face similar dilemmas.
Individually, as couples or families, many of us have dreams, passions and desires we would love to see realised in our lives and those of our family and friends. Corporately, we may want to see our churches grow, communities changed, government operate more justly or even ways of business activity transformed.
But achieving these requires engagement. They are not going to fall out of the sky into our lap.
We have a choice to make.
You see, on our journey with God, He will often bring us to a point when we have to decide to do something if we want to achieve something.
Moses went back to Egypt to confront Pharaoh to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Esther spoke up to King Ahasuerus to save the Jews from Haman’s evil plot. Peter left his fishing boat and followed Jesus who made Him a fisher of men.
Risky stuff for them all in one shape or form.
But they succeeded.
It started with making a decision and then going for it.
And their lives have gone down in history as a result.
The key here was God who challenged them to take their respective steps in the first place.
When we begin to understand the true character and nature of God, when we spend time with Him, engage with Him and lean on Him we will learn that He is very much interested in our growth and development as His children. He does not want us to remain as we are but to continually be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).
He does not want to harm or hurt us or make fools out of us. What good parent would want that for their children? But, as any good parent desires for their children, He wants us to grow and develop, not remain as we are forevermore.
This means pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone time and time again over the course of our lives. Not just individually, but as couples and families and also as churches.
There are benefits to doing this.
New ministries or businesses formed or other new opportunities for worship, service or outreach created and even new employment started.
New relationships started. Existing relationships enhanced. Broken relationships restored.
New skills developed, truths learned and abilities and talents sharpened.
Creativity enlivened. Faith deepened. Love strengthened.
Can I encourage you in your own life to take that decision, to make that first step. You will know yourself exactly what it is because I believe that it is highly likely that God has already been challenging you about it.
It may even be to give your life to Jesus and follow Him.
Be assured that the reward with God always far outweighs the cost of any potential step, big or small, that we take on His behalf and at His request.
Go for it, you won’t regret it.