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A Better You

Crossroads

By Sherri Fulmer Moorer

I once read that the only thing more frightening than not reaching your goals is reaching them. Many people are more afraid of success than failure. Change is a scary thing, and some fear it so much that although they aren’t happy with the way things are, they decide it’s still more comfortable than choosing to change. Failure, although discouraging, can become comfortable and predictable.

Human beings have become accustomed to being comfortable, but a life of faith doesn’t always work that way. In fact, God often calls us to do things outside our comfort zone for the specific purpose of building our faith. The only way He can work through us is if we are willing to let go and let Him control our lives. This has been demonstrated time and time again throughout history. If you look at the heroes of our faith, from Abraham and Moses to Martin Luther and John Wesley, you will see they didn’t accomplish what they did by staying in their comfort zone. They stepped out in faith, and because of their sincere belief in the Lord’s guidance, He was able to accomplish a lot through them.

Stepping out in faith is a scary thing, but sometimes we don’t have a choice. The path of life is not a straight road, but rather a road with many twists and turns. Every once in a while, that straight road ends at a crossroad, and the straight path becomes impossible to keep. Other times, the road may go on, but another road may branch off with exciting new destinations and opportunities. In life, nothing ever stays the same. If you don’t embrace change, eventually change will come to you.

Fortunately, we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us make these decisions. Stepping out in faith takes a great deal of hard work and courage, but it can be immensely rewarding. I believe a lot of people underestimate the power of faith. They don’t realize the same faith that moved the heroes of the past is at work in every one of us today. The only thing that separated them from everybody else was the ability to move through their fear and trust God to lead them the way He wanted them to go. This faith that delivered our salvation is still in the world today, and we need to gain confidence in its ability to work through us.

Paul was a great apostle who never lost sight of the power of faith. He reminds us “let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, RSV). That race is going to involve taking chances from time to time, and we have to decide if the dreams God has given us are worth the hard work and risk that is always involved in faith-based living. Taking that leap of faith may be scary, and sometimes you may not see the benefits immediately, but it is worth the effort. It’s true that stepping out in faith means hard work and putting yourself at a risk of failure, but that is a possibility no matter what you do in life. Anything can fail, so you may as well step out in faith and at least try to make your dreams come true.

Keeping your life in your own hands may be comfortable, but putting it in God’s hands can bring you a sense of joy and peace that you will never sense by staying stuck in a rut. What is God trying to accomplish through you? Remember that God has said, “I know the plans I have for you… plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, RSV). Jesus died so you could enjoy the best life possible while you are living in this world, not so you could stay stuck in a rut! Letting go and handing your life over to God may be scary at first, but remember that He can do anything through your faith. And in the end, the safest place to be is in His hands.

SHERRI FULMER MOORER is a writer in Columbia, SC and the author of Battleground Earth - Living by Faith in a Pagan World (PublishAmerica ©2004). For additional details on her writing, please visit the Battleground Earth Web site.