My life is at risk.
Trusting a God we cannot see is a risk. Following a God to 11 different countries is even more of a risk. But I truly believe this is what Jesus calls us to do. He does not ask us to live a safe comfortable life, but to become free by putting our lives at risk. In order to fulfill our purpose on earth we must be willing to step out of our comfort zone and experience Gods kingdom in new and abundant ways. We must be willing to stop numbing ourselves with comfortable habits and to turn to Jesus for our every need. Although I have not yet fully experienced this concept, it is an important message I have been pondering the past few years while deciding to go on the World Race. My life throughout colleges was far all but a dream, the most fun and selfish years of my life… but I always knew there had to be more. My life has been focused on my earthly needs and wants, making sure that at any moment I felt uncomfortable I could turn to things that would instantly sooth my anxieties. In America we have such control over our lives that we don’t need to depend on God for really anything.
Some of the things I turned to were exercise, food, friends, TV, social media, making to-do lists over and over again, even a strict schedule with my time for God. I never wanted to waste a moment so my life was planned out day-to-day and filled with all the things that I wanted to do and things that brought me pleasure. Some of these things may not sound horrible, but if I reflect back I can see that there was no true reliance on Jesus. I was by no means stepping out of my bubble and only preparing myself for the mundane routine life that society tells us is acceptable.
I do not think we all need to go on an 11-month mission trip around the world to understand that this is not how Jesus wants us to live, but I do think we have to die to our small dreams to lay hold of his big dreams. When we trust God we’re willing to embrace danger and he loves it. We have lost our theology of danger and instead cling to our safeties and comforts. I can feel God asking me to abandon my comfort of my bed, warm water, perfectly ripe foods, $30 exercise classes, Netflix, ability to text friends at any moment, and my day to day busy schedule to really embrace the challenge of dependence on something so much bigger in this world. I am being called to leave it all behind in search of some risk, in search of an abundant life that God has promised us. I hope that you too can reflect on the comforts you may be clinging to and ask God what he is asking you to do to put your life at risk?
(P.S.: These were thoughts I wrote down before the race… there will be a follow up blog to come on how quickly I let go of my comforts & how I have been thrown into a much riskier life in India already!!!)
