What holds you back?
What hinders you?
What prevents you from going all-in, crazy wild for Jesus?
Is it others?
Your schedule?
Your fears?
Your money?
Your family?
What is it?
When I look at my life, I see a whole lot of blessings, but I also see a whole lot of comfort. Comfort that wraps me warm and snuggly. So warm, that sometimes I don’t want to look beyond my TV – or even the walls of my house.
Comfort that second-guesses spending time with others.
Comfort that makes it difficult to give and to let go.
Comfort that doesn’t allow me to see all that God has for me.
Comfort that keeps me stuck.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36)
Are we gaining the world or are we gaining God?
Because a life stuck in this world is a life stuck in futility.
And a life stuck in futility, is a life without utility.
To live without utility, gives us no ability to glorify God’s nobility.
Complacency, comfort and carelessness about our condition become our greatest inhibition.
But, God is calling us. Wooing us. Pleading that we come.
Do you hear Him?
He is waiting.
Ready.
Hopeful.
He has more for us than the good “American Life”.
He will blow our socks off.
Knock us down with purpose.
Stagger us with joy.
If we let him.
Or, we can continue living in the status-quo, as we always have – content.
But are we really content?
Satisfied?
Is enough ever enough?
The house?
The family?
The money?
Perhaps God is saying…”Accepting good, is missing amazing.”
When we exchange good things for our great God, we miss the immense blessings he has prepared for us.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:10)
It’s easy to walk by stagnant faith, rehearsed truths and clichéd lines, but if we want to see crazy exciting acts of God, we have to step out of “safety” and into “risky”.
“Risky” that takes time to hear God’s call.
“Risky” that prays for equipping.
“Risky” that sacrifices all to accomplish his purposes.
“Risky” that doesn’t see the way, but walks by faith.
“Risky” that doesn’t stop, that keeps going, that presses on until the work is completed.
“Risky” that avoids demanding approval or affirmation, but instead trusts in eternal rewards.
Why aren’t I risky like this? When I take a deep look, I see, what holds me back – is me, myself and I. I am afraid. I am afraid to go to the place where I lose all control. I am afraid to see where he will take me. I am afraid.
Will it really be good?
Will he really be there for me?
Will I be good enough for Him?
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. (Heb. 11:1)
When we can’t see, we walk by real faith, life changing faith and powerful faith.
We can walk this way, because he has proven his faithfulness time and time again.
He has helped us and he will help us.
He has guided us and he will guide us.
He has shown up and he will show up.
Remember his faithfulness – in the past – to follow his call – today.
We are called “followers of Jesus”, so let’s do the following part. Let’s cast aside all that holds us back and go “risky” with Jesus. It’s so worth it! He will equip us. He will help us. We can do this.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Heb. 12:1)
What holds you back from Jesus?
Awesome message. I needed to hear this.
I am so glad it spoke to you Andrea! Keep pursuing your King.
So good, Kelly! I loved it! I loved listening to it. I’m one of those multitaskers. I know bad habit. Loved “accepting good is missing the amazing!” Brilliant!
Great! The listening thing is new for me, but I was excited to test it out. I am glad that someone actually used it. ha! Thanks a ton Beth for visiting and listening. Praying right now over your ministry!
very amazing teaching, it is guiding me to think and act accordingly!
I am delighted to hear this Joseph. Jesus is calling you to give it ALL to Him. He has great plans for you.
It’s always in those risky steps that I feel the most connected to God and the most joy having taken the step. Too often I let fear hold me back, but I want to take more of those risky steps! Great post!
Yes Kathryn! It is about the risky steps where we feel such joy. Great point you make. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Come back soon! 😉
Kelly, what often holds us back is fear of failure. I recently went through an experience that would be viewed as a ‘failure’ in the world’s eyes, but God used it to help me overcome a fear of failure! Now, after walking through that difficult time, I feel more boldness in trying something new for God. He knows exactly what lessons we need to learn, doesn’t He? Thankful today! Blessings:)
Right on, Kristine! How true is this? When we see he can bring us through even if we fail, we feel ok with it because we feel him near. Excellent point. Love your insights. I pray that you and I can walk fearlessly towards Jesus.
“Because a life stuck in this world is a life stuck in futility.
And a life stuck in futility, is a life without utility.
To live without utility, gives us no ability to glorify God’s nobility.” LOVE THIS! Linking up behind you at SDG
Thank you for visiting today. It is a joy to have you Lisa. Many blessings to you. I am glad you were touched by the message!
Yes! It’s always worth it to take the risk of following Jesus for he provides way more than any cost. Amen! This is so encouraging to me today. Thank you~
Karen, yes, he returns it back 10-fold. Praise him. I pray and hope we can rely more and more on him as he leads us to risky ground. I love getting your comments Karen. I am always hoping you will comment!
I simply adored this post Kelly! Your words are so powerful! Your insight is so uplifting! You inspire me to write for His glory no matter how afraid I feel! Thank you for linking up today! P.S Told you I would be back! 😉
Ruth, I am so glad this post spoke to you! God is so good, he calls us to so much greatness in him. I love that you linked up – and came back! Yippee! It’s not the same without you.
Kelly, thank you , dear sweet cheerleader of faith. I loved listening to your message. It brought so much more to the message listening to you than the voice of Siri on my iphone. That part about risky faith. I can relate so much. Every step I take is one of faith, and thanks for reminding me to have that faith in my spiritual life. God has convicted me to invest in my writing. I want to attend “She Speaks”. I asked God to provide me with some people to help me get around if it’s His will for me to go. It looks like He is answering my prayer.
Carolyn, this comment brought me so much joy. I am so glad I recorded this – if only for you – it was so worth it. I love how the Lord has, kind of by default, brought you into risky faith. You are blessed in that! Also, I am delighted you will likely be coming to she speaks. I can’t wait to give you a big hug and to get to know you more. I am so glad you are a part of this linkup and that we met.
Carolyn, I would be more than happy to help you with what ever you need at She Speaks! Be sure to stay in contact and let me know if you’ll be able to come, Love! 🙂
Tai, I will join Tai in these efforts too! It will be fun.
Kelly, this post could go right along with the one I shared. I wrote it last March, but it’s a poem that kind of helps us see we need to throw off the chains that hold us back from becoming the person God had called us to be. It’s so easy to let things weigh us down and we try to do it all ourselves. How much better to let go and trust God, following Him, working with Him and not against. Thank you for reminding us of this!
Wow Gayl, great minds think alike. I love how poetic you are. It is beautiful. Let’s let go of the things that weigh us down and run hard after Jesus. Much love to you.
Kelly,
Your words resonate with what I’ve been thinking as I read K.P. Yohannen’s book http://www.gfa.org/offer/freebook/thankyou/ as we’re comfortable in the U.S….it takes an eternal perspective and assurance of God’s love and power to be willing to risk …P.S. I tried your FB link on another post and it didn’t work…I’m not on FB that often but I will try to visit when I can….Blessings to you 🙂
Dolly, it does take an eternal perspective. We have to keep on keeping our eyes on Jesus. Good point. I so value your comment and your insight. Thank you for this friend. Blessings to you too.
Kelly, this was a GREAT post! … “Perhaps God is saying…”Accepting good, is missing amazing.”” <— Love this! Wow! I really needed this today! Infinite blessing to you, Love! 🙂
Thank you Tai. I want the best from Jesus and I know it is only me that holds me back from it (besides the devil ;). I hope you are doing good today, dear one. I want to catch up on a deeper level with you.
I know exactly what you mean, Love. As I was writing my post for this past link up those were the thoughts that were running through my mind. I had to remind myself of the exact things that you were speaking about in this post. It was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment.
I’m doing well and I hope the same for you, my sweet friend. I would love for us to be able to catch up. Just let me know when you have some free time. Love you!
I will Tai. I am all eager to read your post now! I love my “Tai posts!”
Loved the insight you shared here! Blessings to you!
Thank you Lisa. It was a joy to share. Thank you for joining me on the blog today.
Hi there! Grateful you linked with SDG! You know, for me, what holds me back from Jesus is all the stuff I do “for” Jesus. I am one who really struggles with not doing (i.e. resting). But I cannot adequately do the work He has called me to do unless I am refilled and renewed by Him.
I totally get this. It is hard to “rest” instead of “do”. Thank you for sharing this comment with me. It is such a blessing to know how these words impacted you.