A Step of Faith
I feel like the most often shared stories seem to revolve around taking a significant step of faith.
There are several women in the Bible that portray this.
Esther. Ruth. Mary. Just to name a few.
I have no doubt their stories were shared, with such depth, because they model the wonderful faith-building act of following Gods' plan. They live out Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
I'm sure, for a moment or two, these women felt fear or panic or questioned their calling. But, they all were obedient. They had faith and were part of major historical events. When it comes to my own story, I like to think I have a little bit of Esther, Ruth and Mary in me. I love how real they are and so very obedient.
Most recently, I experienced an act of faith involving my role in ministry. In my youth, I was always afraid to step forward and out of my comfort zone. Unless I knew, without a doubt, I was capable, I wouldn't even try. The fear of rejection was too great for me. As I grew in my relationship with God, I noticed that fear began to subside.
I still do not like rejection. I mean, who really does? But, I am finding it easier to take risks. Why? Because Jesus. As my relationship with Him grows, I get to know His promptings easier. It helps me discern what could be a moment of faith and when it is a closed door. It's a learned discipline. It really and truly is. And just like a muscle, as I flex it and work it, the stronger it gets.
One such step of faith was deciding God was calling me into leadership with my church women's ministry. It scared me. That's a huge responsibility to take on. Could I handle it? Was I capable? Would my Pastor and the other leadership support this? Or was I dreaming something too big?
Yet, it never felt right when I squashed the thought. It would resurface over and over. So, I share my thoughts with friends. "Hey gals, so, what would you think if I said I might want to be the women's ministry director at my church?"
I was expecting responses like, "Oh, really? You? Are you sure? Don't they already have someone? Don't you already work? Seriously? You? Huh." I like to say it's because I'm so humble. Instead I was met with responses like, "Wow. Yes. That is perfect for you. How exciting! Melissa you totally need to do that."
As I shared my vision, I felt the joy tumbling out. The words spilling off my tongue were not my own. If you have ever experienced a Holy Spirit moment, you might understand what I'm talking about. You know it's a God-ordained moment with everything, words and actions, fluidly pour out with no hesitation and it brings you great joy. I felt my heart swell. I felt myself gain confidence in what I was sharing. Excitement? That's an understatement.
In my years of growing closer to Jesus, I have learned, so well, how important it is to take those steps of faith. They may not make sense to many. They might scare you to the core. There will be an overwhelming mixture of emotions. It may even make you feel uncomfortable. But, all those signs are sure signs that God is calling you to a place of faith. He wants you to trust in Him.
And what about those moments when you do take the faith step and, it doesn't end up the way you thought?
Well, those are growing moments too. Each decision we make is a chance to get to know the voice of God even more. We can examine our hearts and understand what it was that led us into that moment. We can gain wisdom from scripture (Proverbs is a good place to start) and learn more about the God we serve.
The great thing is, God will not fail us. He won't make us feel like failures either. I love how, in just about every failed choice I made, He gently turns my head to what He wanted me to notice all along. Sometimes it felt more like a push or a shove... or even a gentle slap... because I'm stubborn like that... but, it always was in love. Because He knows my deep down desire is to please Him. To honor Him. To worship Him. In all I do, I want to love God and love others.
As I share this piece of my story with you, I want you to know that God knows we're not perfect. You are not perfect. I am not perfect. We are human and just like sheep, wandering around. We rely on the guidance of our Heavenly Shepard. Because of this, you are not alone with the choices you make. And I encourage you to be brave. Trust in God. If you have those feelings swirling around, take that step of faith.
And if you mess up, learn from it and keep on with the journey. We're all in it together. And then... the best part... share your story and what you learned from it with others.
I want to leave you with a few lyrics from a worship song that has been on repeat for a few weeks. Have you ever had songs like that come into your life? The words sink into your bones and soul and it's like they were written just for you. The lyrics of the bridge to this song go like this:
***
How About You?
How can we pray for you? Are you in the midst of praying through a step of faith? Share with us on Facebook or our Contact Page. We would love to support you in prayer as you seek HIS direction.
There are several women in the Bible that portray this.
Esther. Ruth. Mary. Just to name a few.
I have no doubt their stories were shared, with such depth, because they model the wonderful faith-building act of following Gods' plan. They live out Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
I'm sure, for a moment or two, these women felt fear or panic or questioned their calling. But, they all were obedient. They had faith and were part of major historical events. When it comes to my own story, I like to think I have a little bit of Esther, Ruth and Mary in me. I love how real they are and so very obedient.
Most recently, I experienced an act of faith involving my role in ministry. In my youth, I was always afraid to step forward and out of my comfort zone. Unless I knew, without a doubt, I was capable, I wouldn't even try. The fear of rejection was too great for me. As I grew in my relationship with God, I noticed that fear began to subside.
I still do not like rejection. I mean, who really does? But, I am finding it easier to take risks. Why? Because Jesus. As my relationship with Him grows, I get to know His promptings easier. It helps me discern what could be a moment of faith and when it is a closed door. It's a learned discipline. It really and truly is. And just like a muscle, as I flex it and work it, the stronger it gets.
One such step of faith was deciding God was calling me into leadership with my church women's ministry. It scared me. That's a huge responsibility to take on. Could I handle it? Was I capable? Would my Pastor and the other leadership support this? Or was I dreaming something too big?
Yet, it never felt right when I squashed the thought. It would resurface over and over. So, I share my thoughts with friends. "Hey gals, so, what would you think if I said I might want to be the women's ministry director at my church?"
I was expecting responses like, "Oh, really? You? Are you sure? Don't they already have someone? Don't you already work? Seriously? You? Huh." I like to say it's because I'm so humble. Instead I was met with responses like, "Wow. Yes. That is perfect for you. How exciting! Melissa you totally need to do that."
As I shared my vision, I felt the joy tumbling out. The words spilling off my tongue were not my own. If you have ever experienced a Holy Spirit moment, you might understand what I'm talking about. You know it's a God-ordained moment with everything, words and actions, fluidly pour out with no hesitation and it brings you great joy. I felt my heart swell. I felt myself gain confidence in what I was sharing. Excitement? That's an understatement.
In my years of growing closer to Jesus, I have learned, so well, how important it is to take those steps of faith. They may not make sense to many. They might scare you to the core. There will be an overwhelming mixture of emotions. It may even make you feel uncomfortable. But, all those signs are sure signs that God is calling you to a place of faith. He wants you to trust in Him.
And what about those moments when you do take the faith step and, it doesn't end up the way you thought?
Well, those are growing moments too. Each decision we make is a chance to get to know the voice of God even more. We can examine our hearts and understand what it was that led us into that moment. We can gain wisdom from scripture (Proverbs is a good place to start) and learn more about the God we serve.
The great thing is, God will not fail us. He won't make us feel like failures either. I love how, in just about every failed choice I made, He gently turns my head to what He wanted me to notice all along. Sometimes it felt more like a push or a shove... or even a gentle slap... because I'm stubborn like that... but, it always was in love. Because He knows my deep down desire is to please Him. To honor Him. To worship Him. In all I do, I want to love God and love others.
As I share this piece of my story with you, I want you to know that God knows we're not perfect. You are not perfect. I am not perfect. We are human and just like sheep, wandering around. We rely on the guidance of our Heavenly Shepard. Because of this, you are not alone with the choices you make. And I encourage you to be brave. Trust in God. If you have those feelings swirling around, take that step of faith.
And if you mess up, learn from it and keep on with the journey. We're all in it together. And then... the best part... share your story and what you learned from it with others.
I want to leave you with a few lyrics from a worship song that has been on repeat for a few weeks. Have you ever had songs like that come into your life? The words sink into your bones and soul and it's like they were written just for you. The lyrics of the bridge to this song go like this:
Should I ever be abandoned
Should I ever be acclaimed
Should I ever be surrounded by the fire and the flame
There's a name I will remember
There's a name I will proclaim
Let it be, let it be Jesus
The word that jumped out at me was the word acclaimed. How many songs do I sing that focus on the negative aspects of our life journey and how we can give it to Jesus? A lot. But, how many throw in something like the word acclaimed? Not enough. No matter what, Jesus is at the forefront of every decision and life circumstance. I could relate these lyrics to many areas of my life and story but, I love how it can be adapted to faith and my own example shared above. Because I was acclaimed by friends who supported me in this journey and it I could have easily gotten a big head. But Jesus just kept interfering! And I'm so thankful... because I always, always... always... want to let it be all about HIM.
***
How About You?
How can we pray for you? Are you in the midst of praying through a step of faith? Share with us on Facebook or our Contact Page. We would love to support you in prayer as you seek HIS direction.
