Trusting God Beyond The Familiar
I‘m a natural scaredy cat. I don’t like heights, or depths, or the unknown. But there are times when I have sensed God drawing me into something totally new—and always something I didn’t feel remotely capable of doing.Apart from a few super-confident, “let me at it” types, most of us find the familiar more comfortable. However, the familiar can become a rut that keeps you from personal growth as well as deprive you of experiencing God’s reality in new and amazing ways.I know the truth of this, so I hope one of my experiences moving forward with God will give you courage.
What Should I Do?
After teaching a Bible Study Fellowship class for seven years, I began to feel restless (sometimes a sign that God is getting us ready for a new move or expansion of our lives). Thoughts of stepping down from my position became a steady drumbeat. Should I, or shouldn’t I?Was God moving me out, or on to something else? I had no idea. I just knew I couldn’t ignore my inner wrestling. Finally, I made a list of pros and cons. One of the strongest pros for stepping down was being available if my parents, who lived in England, needed me.
Feelings are Not an Infallible Guide!
Because feelings are definitely not a sure-fire way to know whether to move forward or not, I was grateful for a Scripture that captured my attention. I hadn’t noticed it before, but I sensed the Lord making a statement to me, even a promise. In speaking to Martha at the grave of Lazarus, Jesus said:
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
I had no idea what this meant; I only knew God’s Spirit was telling me to trust Him for what lay beyond the familiar.A few months after I stepped down, a phone call from my father urged me to get a flight to England that day. My mother was hospitalized with a heart attack and not expected to live.My friends, I don’t know if God is calling you to move into something new or not. But if He is, be willing to say YES. Not only was I able to be with my mother as she slipped away, God began to lead me into a much wider world of teaching and encouraging others—which was and still is, my dream and my desire.
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After all the dreaming you’ve done in this Dare to DREAM series, now’s the time to take up the challenge and start acting on what is tugging at your heart. I know this can be scary and that some of you perhaps think, “I don’t want to step out of the boat and into something new,” but let me encourage you to pray, risk, and move forward! God is with you, His plans are always for good, and you only have one life to live for Him! Share your upcoming actions in the comments. (If you are an email subscriber and want to comment on the actual post, click here to visit the blog and leave a comment.)
This post is part of my Daring to DREAM series. Click here to view all the posts in this series.
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This article originally appeared in May's issue of Thrive, my free monthly newsletter. If you liked this article, you may want to sign up for Thrive to receive future issues with more articles like this one! Click here to sign up for Thrive.
Poppy Smith
International speaker, multi-published author, Bible teacher, and spiritual coach
Inspiring Women to Thrive!
Permission to use this article is granted provided the following credit is fully included.
Poppy Smith is funny, warm, and passionate about helping women grow spiritually and personally so they experience the love and power of Christ in life’s ups and downs. A former teaching leader with Bible Study Fellowship, Poppy has a Masters in Spiritual Formation and ministers extensively as a retreat and conference speaker both in the US and around the world. For more information about Poppy’s heart, her books and ministry, please visit her website at www.poppysmith.com.