I always admire those people who seem to seek out adventure. They live for pushing their limits. They often participate in hobbies or activities that are risky yet exhilarating and fulfilling. You know the type....those that go white water rafting and maneuver their way through treacherous waters. Others like to deep sea dive in deep and dangerous waters only to find themselves face to face with some of the oceans most intimidating aquatic life. Some enjoy rock climbing and hiking steep slopes and enjoy the time they spend at the edges of cliffs and ledges. Then there are some who like to bungee jump, or even more, skydive. They free fall into the air and enjoy the wind hitting their face and the feeling of freedom that seems to enable them to fly. And if you have read my previous posts, you will know automatically that this "Nervous Nellie" doesn't participate in any of these outlandish things, nor does she ever want to. Wayyyy out of this girl's comfort zone. I need both feet on solid ground...all the time. :)
All of these "thrill seeking" people have faith in what they are doing. Faith in the people they participate in these things with. Faith in the equipment involved in their endeavors. Take the bungee jumper for instance. They have faith in the manufactured cord. They have faith in the person harnessing them and faith in whoever happens to tie the knots in their cords. They have faith that their cord is strong enough to withstand the gravity of their fall and faith that the cord is strong enough to resist snapping in two. Their jump is two fold: first the faith and second their leap.
Oh to have the faith of the jumpers! Why is it that most of us want the guarantee of success or the guarantee that whatever I'm about to embark on is going to turn out "okay"? If I was standing atop a ledge ready to jump, I would have to know without a doubt and be guaranteed that I would safely reach the ground unharmed. Many of us, want and need that guarantee. We cannot simply leap without trying to look into the future and ponder whether or not the decision will be the right one.
But the fact of the matter is, faith is belief that is not based on proof of the end result. It is belief in the unseen and the unknown. Our faith in God is just that. We do not know the end result of what he may be asking of us. We don't know where the leap of faith may take us or how it may end up, but if God is speaking, in faith we must leap. To continue standing on the ledge would be disobedient and failure of our faith. Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths
Lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge what he is guiding you in faith to do and he will direct the path in which he has set you upon. Faith is better said than done at times. That leap seems so wide and hard to achieve. Rather than hard to do, it seems hard to trust in without having the guarantee of success.
Tonight I pray that God will help me and encourage me to take the leap he is nudging me to make. The leap of faith into the unknown. The leap that he has consistently had on my heart for several days. I pray that he will give me the desire to obedient and the will to do what he has ask of me. I also pray that through the leap he will bless me and that when I land, he will set my feet upon the solid rock and I can trust in his plan.