There comes a time to move, to act – when staying in the status quo is no longer a viable option. But all too often we become reactive in these moments and make decisions out of fear rather than faith. Faith keeps us grounded in God’s reality even when things might appear foolish on the surface.
Perhaps it’s only natural to attempt to take matters into our own hands. And it is true God has given us the dignity of causation – the freedom and power to make things happen. But we miss the mark when our efforts are fueled by fear rather than faith.
In fear, we’re no longer trusting in God’s goodness, or, at least, not in his timing. For instance, like King Saul, we rush ahead with our plans – too anxious to wait on God any longer. While we might attempt to justify our efforts, we still sin when fear and pride are our primary motivators. And, to be clear, the issue is not what we’re pursuing, but how we’re pursuing it. For example, we rush to buy the house, book the vacation, or take the job. And this is not flowing from our trust in God, but rather stems from our fear of missing out.
On the other hand, faith is bold and courageous while still trusting in God’s goodness and timing. To be sure, from a human perspective, there might be little logical reason to take the house, vacation, or job. But we sense God is in the decision and step forward in faith all the same, even when it’s beyond our limited understanding. And we’re back to living in fear whenever we play it safe or otherwise refuse to move forward until it makes perfect sense to us.
Whatever it looks like, exercise your freedom with boldness and trust rather than fear and control. Your heart of faith keeps your decisions centered on God.
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