‘Cold feet’, as defined by various dictionaries (and maybe Wikipedia) is preventing a specific course of action because of fearfulness or timidity.
People may say a number of things referring to this term:
“We were supposed to get married, but I got cold feet” “I was supposed to tell him, but I got cold feet” “I was going to apply, but I got cold feet” etc., etc.
Planning and dreaming and thinking and praying (goodness, I’m starting to sound like the opening song of My Best Friend’s Wedding) for The World Race has been very overwhelming so far and I know it will intensify. Overhwleming not only because of how humbled I am for all of the donations received so far, but by all of the organizing and planning for this great task to come. So I have started to think of the concept of ‘cold feet’. I’m positive that there have been many racers who, at the last second, right before they leave, have had this feeling. They don’t want to leave this comfortable life, leave their families and friends and jobs and cars and phones and everything else that entail.
I don’t want to leave my confortable life. I am going to get the feeling of ‘cold feet’, and that’s that.
I was talking to a former World Racer the other night and she was telling me about a blog she had written before she left. It was about us leaving our imperfect lives, our imperfect families, imperfect friends, imperfect everything and being so scared to do this, for Him. Christ left his perfect home, perfect everything for us.
Stop.
Pause.
Let it sink in.
All of us who not only go on The World Race, but those of us who venture out into the mission field, and those of us who want to spread His live in our everyday lives here; what we are doing for Him is just a wisp of smoke compared to what he has done for us. BUT not even a breathe of it goes unnoticed.
Then I think:
What if Jesus got cold feet?
What if he decided he didn’t want to help us?
What if he’d rather stay at his perfect home?
We would be lost.
Done.
Finished.
Forgotten.
The next time you think about doing something, anything, for him, not matter how big or small, no matter if it’s moving across the world to tell those who haven’t heard or walking across the street to help your neighbor with something, think about this. Think about how much sacrifice was given for all of us; is a few moments of awkwardness worth showing that we are at least willing to try for Him when he has done so much for us already?
I know I haven’t always been the best example of this, but I also know that I will get the feeling of ‘cold feet’, but I will not fall to it. I will leave. I will go and do these things for Him. I will be uncomfortable, completely broken, unsure, unhappy, mad, sad, and all of the above.
And it will all be worth it.
