Risk Taking and Obedience

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Don't you just LOVE this quote? I feel as if it is giving me permission to be a radical risk taker for the Kingdom of God! Not that I need permission from anyone other than God, but reading that quote just fans my fire!

I have thought a lot about taking risks lately. When you think about it, becoming destiny driven is really all about taking risks! Looking over my life throughout the last almost 17 years, I can pinpoint dozens of risks Craig and I have taken for the Kingdom of God. We've lived through them all, and we're stronger, wiser, better, so much... nah, I'm not going to sing Marvin Sapp's song.. you get the picture!

According to our friends at Webster, risk means the chance that an investment will lose value. That sounds scary! When you lay everything on the line and you have no tangible guarantees, you are taking a risk EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW GOD HAS TOLD YOU TO TAKE THE RISK.

Imagine how Abraham felt when he was instructed by God to take Isaac, his PROMISE and sacrifice him to the Lord. We KNOW that his heart was breaking, that with every step he took up that mountain he struggled under the weight of the full knowledge that his obedience to God was more important than anything, or anyone else. He knew in his heart that God was working for his good. We all know that God spared Isaac and provided the means needed for a sacrifice.

There are others as well. David, yeah, he was a risk taker if ever there was one! This guy seized life, so much so that sometimes he got himself in trouble. But God called him a man after His own heart.

Esther was a risk taker, Joseph, the Apostles, and JESUS was the greatest example we'll ever have of a risk taker. But there is one thing that I believe we often miss because we get so caught up in the actions of risks. Risk taking for the Kingdom of God has more to do with our obedience than the magnitude of the risk itself.

With obedience, with risk taking, there is a responsibility to tap into every reserve and resource He has given us and then some. And as the quote above says, our deepest fear isn't really failing,
but WHAT if we are successful? What if God REALLY does come through? What if our lives are changed SO drastically because of our obedience and willingness to take a risk for Christ? What if SOMEONE ELSE changes and comes to Christ because of our risk taking? What if????

Can I say that I am sick to death of false humility that would say, "Well glory to God, it isn't me, it's all Him..." ? While this is true at the core, we need to realize that it is our obedience to Him that results in the ultimate outcome! Basically, the equation is: Risk-Obedience= A Flop... BUT, Obedience + Risk = God ordained destiny fulfilled in us and in those we reach out to.

As we embrace this powerful truth, I want to focus on the results of it... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

When people see what God has done in us because we are fired up and genuine... guess what they will want on their own lives... ????

Love & Blessings!