Forward Faith
I love to travel to new places and take in all of the sights, sounds, and nuances each destination possesses. The planning process is exhilarating as all the details come together: how to get there, where to stay, where to eat, and what to pack! But my natural tendency is to allow anxiety and nervousness to creep in and take hold of my thoughts, playing out the worse case scenario of each moment. What if we miss our flight? What if our luggage doesn’t make it? What if there is an accident and we don’t make it home? The fearful games I play in my head are exhausting!
Going back to the familiar can be comforting. Visiting the same vacation spot feels good…like a worn-in old t-shirt. But if we keep going back to what’s familiar or continue staying where we are, how can we know what else is out there? How can we grow in our knowledge or gain new perspectives on things we’ve yet to discover?
God wants us to move forward. He doesn’t want us to stay where we are. He wants to help us strengthen our trust muscles and, like the Good Shepherd He is, He wants to lead us to graze in new, bountiful pastures!
But, I’m not a risk-taker. Not at all. It’s hard for me to move forward. I like to stay where I am…in my comfort zone. So to say this past Sunday’s message hit the mark for me is a terrific understatement. To trust in the Lord’s protection and step forward in that trust is so difficult. But living within the framework of fear isn’t living. It is limiting. It only leads to unfulfilled dreams, lives of mediocrity…lives without freedom!
Upon reading Psalm 121 a few years ago I knew it was one I needed to put to memory, especially verses 7 & 8 where David assures us: “The Lord will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” We know that God is omnipresent, always with us. So why do we doubt His ability to take care of us, to bring us to greener pastures?
Fear attempts to block my faith walk daily, so I call out these verses as well:
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (Psalm 56:3)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3)
Do not be afraid or terrified…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
When we consider the primary characters from the Bible, we see how every one of them had to move forward on their journeys and trust that the Lord would show up. Abraham had to climb the mountain with Isaac before the ram was found. Moses had to lift his arms before the Lord parted the Red Sea. Joseph had to be removed from his home in order to be moved into a position to help his family. Ruth left her past behind to follow Naomi. And the 12 disciples left everything to be led by Jesus, destination unknown.
Do we trust in the Lord be enough to take risks like they, and so many others, did? The Bible shows us the blessings on the other side of the risks taken. We have example after example of His faithfulness, protection and care.
So instead of allowing our minds to become swallowed up in worry, we need to shift our focus to how God works.
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Flip the defense mechanism into a trust tool.
The times I’ve failed were times of learning.
The times I asked the Lord to give me peace, He has.
The times I’ve given up my efforts to control every detail…to simply let life play out as it was supposed to were some of the best times of my life. He is ready to bless us beyond our limited imaginations, if we simply move forward in faith.
~ Tara Dye is a longtime member of LIFE Fellowship. She and her husband Paul have three children.