Stepping Out
Stepping Out in Boldness
You step out on the the ledge of a very tall building, your feet right at the very edge, the pavement over 20 stories beneath you, and fear just takes over every inch of your being. I don't have a fear of heights but leaning over that ledge would cause my heart to race and uncertainty to take over. My typical response would be to figure out who was around me. Is there any one trust worthy around, or just the jerky people that would want to try to scare me and maybe even push me a little to get a reaction.
We don't even realize it but we live in this scenario regularly. We end up in circumstances of standing on the ledge and have no idea what to do, or where to go. We are filled with fear. We search around looking to see who will stand next to us, to hold us tight so we don't slip. We are trying to find the people that will help assure us, watch our backs, and not let us fall. We need to stand clear of the pushers at this very moment, because they may make the whole situation even more scary.
But then what happens when God says, "now jump and I will catch you"? (This is figuratively speaking, please don't jump from a ledge) Do we actually trust that He will catch us? Do we believe He will put the right people and take the wrong people away to help us through these faith tests? This seems easy to answer but to actually live this, is really tough.
Through my life trials I have come to many places on that ledge where I needed to jump. These are some of the scariest moments in my life. When things started getting really bad I had to decide to change everything I knew in my life in 2 days. I had just had my baby early after a difficult pregnancy. The Lord showed me in numerous ways that I needed to pack what I could fit in my car, grab my 2 week old baby, and my 3 year old child and move halfway across the country to Alabama. (Side note, I am not from Alabama, I didn't know anyone there except for my husband's family) "What??? Lord really???" I could not understand this but in so many ways I knew I needed to leave my house in the rear view mirror and not look back. I left behind my friends, my home, most of my belongings, my pets, and my husband. I prayed over and over again searching for direction, asking for God to place the people in my life that should be there and take the ones that shouldn't. (I will be writing about the importance of people in your life through these tough times, because I have lost just about everyone I always thought would be there to hold me at the ledge) Want to talk about tough. I couldn't understand why God would lead me this way, ask me to jump with so much hurt and pain. A couple years later I still struggle with this but I now see why He needed us to start over here.
Proverbs 3:5-6 trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV)
Fear, pain, uncertainty is still something I really struggle with while standing on the ledge. But now when I look back in the rear view mirror I see what He was doing, He was protecting us in all ways, and I just need to trust Him along this path. Trust me walking in faith is not easy. Honestly it's stinking tough. But He is worth it. He will bring great things to those willing to jump and trust He will catch them.
If you are on that ledge, pray, cease, and listen closely to what God is saying. He will not steer you wrong. If you need prayer please email me, I would love to pray for you. Our Father loves us more than we will ever realize and He will see us through these dark days.
