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One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to go on “adventures” with my friends. Adventures can be anything from deciding to get ice cream, to going kayaking, to finding a sunflower field. One day, I had the pleasure of adventuring in Ithaca and found myself at a swimming area that was surrounded by cliffs to jump off of.
I saw person after person jump into the water from all different heights and I wanted in on the action. I went to the biggest cliff first and peaked over the edge. My throat closed up and I felt my stomach drop. I was afraid, my mind started racing with all the ways this was a dumb idea and how badly I could get hurt if I did it wrong. There was a certain level of risk involved. Not only could I actually physically get hurt, but my pride would be bruised if I stepped up and didn’t end up jumping. No one wants to be that guy.
I went back and forth a million times, waiting for my turn, then getting out of line when I got close. Finally, I took a deep breath and decided I was going to do it afraid. The thoughts hadn’t stopped, the sinking feeling in my stomach hadn’t gone away, but something inside me knew that taking on this cliff was what I had to do.
In life, we are often confronted with these kind of moments. Maybe you aren’t jumping off a literal cliff, but it can certainly feel like it. We have all encountered decisions or opportunities that scare us. What if I make the wrong choice? What if I risk everything for this and I fail? What if I take a chance on this person and they end up hurting me?
There was a man who was very comfortable in the life he had built for himself. He had a wife, children and a peaceful job working for his father in law. But one day, God showed up in a burning bush, and spoke something that would change his life forever. “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
Our man Moses was not about that plan, and for good reason. He had a nice, safe life. He had a past he would rather forget in Egypt. He did not see himself as qualified for the job. He was not eloquent and certainly not confident. He says in Exodus 3:11, “Who am I that you would send me?” That’s how he felt. Maybe that is how you feel too.
I think there is a tension that exists inside of all of us to live a life worth telling stories about and to feel established and safe and secure. Life with God often means being called outside your comfort zone. It means daring to dream that you were made for so much more than simply existing. Moses was given an opportunity to go on a God sized adventure, and he was very much afraid.
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God’s response to Moses and to you is simple, “I will be with you.” It is ok if you are fearful. It’s ok if you don’t feel adequate, or prepared or qualified. It’s ok if the uncertainty of the future causes you to be afraid. Just don’t stay there.
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Today I am here to tell you that God himself goes with you. He is already on the other side of your big decision, your crazy leap of faith, your stepping out into the unknown. He knows where you are going and leads you with wisdom and kindness. Don’t let fear paralyze you from making moves. Let the knowledge that God holds you bring your heart into perfect peace. He will make the way, He will give you what you need, and He will give you the courage.
Spoiler alert: Moses did leave everything to go to Egypt. His yes to God impacted an entire people. He was very much afraid, but he did it anyway. I jumped off a cliff. What are you going to do? Are you willing to hand your fear to God so that He can take you on the adventure of a lifetime? Sometimes you just got to do it, do it afraid.
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