Leap Of Faith

A leap of faith is simply jumping out of the boat of our own comfort and into the hands of the Father. I know for me personally, I had found myself in a place of comfort for far too long. I have had some desires in my heart for many years and it wasn’t until I jumped out of the boat of my own established comfort that I was able to see some of those desires come to life. Sometimes what the Lord requires of us is to stop being comfortable in who we have become and start taking a leap of faith into who He is going to make us. Starting this blog was a huge leap of faith for me. First of all, it requires me to write. I have little to no confidence in my ability to clearly communicate  my thoughts effectively. Secondly, it requires me to be in a place of openness and vulnerability, a place I am completely uncomfortable with. And to add to that feeling of discomfort, I am opening my christian walk up to a world of potential criticism. These areas of weakness and vulnerability can be a frightening place to be without the Lord. So, in thinking about jumping out of the boat I found myself looking at the life of Moses. Even Moses questioned the Lord when his calling came to go to Egypt and speak to Pharaoh. I am no less human than Moses, but even Moses jumped out of his boat of comfort and God came along side him and equipped him with all the means necessary to accomplish the insurmountable task of delivering his people from the hand of Pharaoh. Why would the Lord do any less for me when the calling comes?

“Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:10-12

My mind is also drawn to Peter, whom Christ Himself beckoned him to literally get out of the boat and walk on the water. Peter, being just a mere human, whom I’m sure had his moments of questioning Jesus, in that moment of beckoning did not hesitate, but stepped out of his boat of comfort. If you recall the story, Peter was not the only one in the boat. The other disciples who had walked and talked, seen and experienced all of the same things that Peter had were right alongside Peter in that boat as well. Yet, Peter was the only one to get out of the boat, causing me to realize that our boat of comfort is just that, comfortable. So many of us do not want to leave our comfort zones when Christ beckons. Believe me I did not want to either!

“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” Matthew 14:29

As I continue to stay out of my boat of comfort, I can honestly say that the Lord has been so faithful to His promise that He will go before me. I am so thankful that when He calls us out of the boat He does not leave us to drown. Yet, it is not until we are out of the boat that the impossibility of walking on the water is made possible. Walking on the water did not happen for the disciples who stayed in the boat, only for Peter, the one disciple who had the courage to take the leap of faith.

“The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deuteronomy 1:30-31

As I continue to grow in my walk with the Lord I am seeing new areas open up that I never knew existed, new boats of comfort I am finding that I need to step out of. In our Christian walk we never “arrive.” The Lord is continually finding new ways to stretch our comfort zones a little farther than we had ever imagined they could be stretched. As the Lord beckons you to “come,” I want to encourage you in this, He is there in the waters waiting for you. He will not let you drown. 

Lord, as you beckon us to “come,” I pray that we will take a deep breath in and then take the leap of faith right into your arms. I thank you that you do not call us out of the boat only to watch us drown. I thank you that you promise to go before us, that you will give us the words to speak in those moments of stretching. I thank you that you desire us to get out of our boats in order for us to accomplish your will and purpose in our lives, not to harm us, but to bring about much needed spiritual growth in our lives. I thank you that you have our hearts in the palm of your hands. Fill us with a spirit of boldness and bravery to look fear in the eye and just leap.