Will You Risk for Jesus?

Several months ago, the Daly household grew by two when we invited foster kids into our home. I’m happy we’re getting a chance to have an impact on these young people.

Well … I am now, at least.

The credit for our involvement belongs to Jean. It was easy for me to rationalize why we couldn’t do it. “We’re too busy. We’ve got two teenagers and have so much going on. How could we possibly do this?”

Jean just looked at me and said, “How can we not do it?”

That’s the dilemma we often face, isn’t it? Many of us ask, “How can we reach beyond ourselves to improve the lives of those around us?” But we don’t take action. Why? Maybe we get in our own way.

We’re afraid to risk because we struggle against self-interest, self-doubt, or wounds from our past. We either fear stepping out in faith, or we’re so encumbered by our own lives that we can’t sense God’s direction for us.

My friend Lisa will tell you that she’s a living example of that. At one time, she struggled so deeply she wondered if she could ever be used by God to touch someone else’s life.

She’d wake up in the morning and grieve that she had awoken at all. Relief only came during sleep. Her first thought when her eyes opened each day was how impossibly heavy life was to carry. Her courage to even get out of bed came only from uttering Jesus’ name out loud.

“Jesus, You’re my hope. You’re my breath.”

Now she enjoys the freedom to step out in faith like no other time in her life. Perfection, she’s learned, isn’t a prerequisite for God to work through you. What He needs is your willingness to trust Him and the faith to risk.

Jesus sees you and loves you. He’s not disappointed that you’re afraid to risk. But He wants you to lean into Him and to trust that regardless of what you’re feeling, He hasn’t forgotten you.

Yesterday we aired the first of two programs we’re calling “Impacting the Culture by Walking with Jesus.” You can hear the second part today. Author and popular speaker Lisa Harper will be our guest.

We hope our discussion with Lisa will encourage you to lean in to the embrace of Christ. If you’ll run toward Jesus, He’ll illuminate your path as you go. It may not be comfortable, and it won’t always make sense, but He’ll always be there for you.

In light of what Jesus has done and still does for us every day, how can we not risk everything to share the Gospel?

Listen to today’s program on your local radio station. You can catch part one online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.