It’s probably hard for a lot of you to believe that stepping out in confidence is one of the hardest things for me to do. I always wait until the last minute to do the thing I should have been doing all along. There are countless times this has happened to me in the past, and I always feel so free when it gets down to that weird point on the clock where you wish you hadn’t procrastinated. The first time I realized I had the authority to make something happen was when I stepped into this adventure with Jesus. Yes, I had the audacity to believe that Jesus and I could make something like the World Race happen together and yes, we made it happen with the community and village He put around me back at home.
When it comes to having confidence, I need passion, which I believe is normal for everyone. When I have a fire in me to make something happen, I take action with Jesus by my side as my fire. He doesn’t place thoughts in my mind or dreams in my mind that are not of Him. If something that creeps in is not of Him, it is just that: Not of Him. The truth is: If I live within the confidence that Jesus gives me, this knowing that I am His – chosen – and place my faith in Him, literally anything can happen if I put my two cents on the table and believe in Jesus to handle the rest.
Recently, I’ve been meditating on the story in John 21 when Jesus invites His disciples to breakfast on the beach. The disciple whom He loves says something about Him and Peter, with no hesitation, jumps right in the water without a care on this green earth about what the others will think. I imagine him jumping out and swimming as fast as he can to get to Jesus. When Jesus commands the disciple’s to give Him their fish, Peter is – again – the first to act. It is only after Jesus has received the fish that He says “Come and eat breakfast.” Peter exercised his authority here by acting after Jesus spoke and by doing what Jesus asked.
Something I am learning lately is that I have that same authority as Peter. The authority to take action, go, and live with faith so large and nothing but the prompting of Jesus to stop me if He says no. In the past, I have been foolish and let really cool opportunities pass me by because I was too afraid of taking a step out on the line to be seen, afraid of making a mistake, afraid of not being good enough, etc… The possibilities of things to stop me are literally endless. But I have realized that not taking a lunge forward is more dangerous than gathering the courage to take a step forward with the 50/50 shot I might fail miserably. But in the end, at least I tried.
Recently, our Squad had a layover in Los Angeles, California and the week leading up to our trip, I still had zero plans for the day. I randomly asked the Squad if anyone else had plans for a taxi and had some people interested. Around four days before leaving Malaysia, I remembered that I also had a friend who is attending film school near LA. I offhandedly messaged her with no intention of making a solidified plan. By some miracle, something ended up working and I laid out the plans with her and two other friends from the Squad.
Arriving in LA, things got messy, but my friends on the Squad and I still had a separate plan, should something happen. My friend in LA and I ended up not seeing one another, but the messed up plans didn’t deter me from having a really awesome day and getting what I needed to do done with my friends on the Squad. The failed plans actually made me realize that overall, I have the authority to make things happen and should they fail, there is almost always a Plan B right around the corner. Plan B is just as okay as Plan A… It’s just different.
Between the connections I’ve made with certain individuals here in Antigua due to mutual friends back at home or just exercising the listening ear I’ve been given by the Lord and jumping into conversations… I believe that I have stepped out in more confidence, boldness, and authority than I ever have in my life before. I don’t carry with me a loud confidence, though, my confidence may not even be seen. Mine is quiet and knowing — and that is different, but also okay, because Jesus see’s it all.
What holds you back from living every day like it’s your last? What keeps you from stepping up in the confidence and authority the Lord gives you? I encourage you to bring it to the Lord, listen, and then act. Even if He takes a detour and your plans fail, God still has His stamp of approval written all over you and when you carry the authority He’s given you in your heart and mind, literally anything is possible.
