What is Holding You Back From Taking Risks?

When Does Faith Become More Than Just Words?

Are you discounting yourself, thinking that God can work through you to bring glory to HIS name, but wondering whether He really will?

Sometimes we think we must have everything together before the Lord can use us. Our lives need to be in order, our circumstances settled, and the drama behind us. We imagine that once we have become more confident, more knowledgeable, or perhaps a little more spiritually mature, we will be ready to step into whatever God has placed on our hearts.

You know, picture-perfect.

I used to believe that, too.

But what if God isn’t waiting for us to become picture-perfect? What if He is looking for a heart willing to trust Him, even when we don’t have all the answers?

God shines brightly through our sincerity and humility. He doesn’t need us to have everything figured out. He asks us to trust Him and be willing to follow where He leads.

The question isn’t whether we are enough. The question is whether we believe HE is enough.

When Faith Becomes More Than Words

I recently heard a pastor say something that stopped me in my tracks:

“If you go around saying, ‘For nothing will be impossible with God’ (Luke 1:37), and don’t take risks, it’s just a phrase people say, not something they believe. It is just comfortable doctrine.”

Wow! Let that sink in.

It’s one thing to quote Scripture, but another to let Scripture challenge how we live. We can believe God’s Word is true and still hesitate when He invites us to take a step that requires trusting Him.

Why? Because stepping out in faith often means trusting that the bridge will be there to get us to the other side of the river’s rapid waters. We may not know how things will work out, where the resources will come from, or whether the people around us will understand.

Faith doesn’t mean we have no questions or concerns. It means we don’t allow those questions to have the final say.

Sometimes, taking a risk is evidence that we believe God is bigger than the uncertainty in front of us. We move forward not because we know how everything will turn out, but because we trust the character of the One leading us.

Are You Looking at the Size of the Dream or the Size of God?

Some people look at me and say, “You are so bold, stepping out in the things you are doing.”

But to be completely honest, if you knew the size of my dream, you might be asking, “WHERE is your faith?”

I can have a God-inspired idea and analyze it to the point of talking myself right out of the moment of inspiration. I begin questioning whether it was really God or just my own silly idea. And if I convince myself it was only my idea, then I don’t have to do anything about it. I can walk away without feeling accountable to what I thought I heard.

Does that sound familiar?

How often do we begin with excitement about something we believe God has placed on our hearts, only to let our thoughts talk us out of taking the first step?

We consider our limitations, lack of experience, age, finances, or the possibility of failure. We begin measuring the dream against our past, or what we currently have, instead of considering what God might do as we walk in obedience.

I’m not suggesting that every idea that crosses our minds comes from God or that we should act without prayer, wisdom, or discernment. But I do believe we need to be careful not to dismiss something simply because it stretches us beyond what feels reasonable or comfortable.

What if the very thing we keep talking ourselves out of is an invitation to trust God in a new way?

God’s Promises Don’t Always Come With Our Preferred Timeline

God has promised to care for us, but that doesn’t mean we will never encounter problems, experience a season of lack, or walk through circumstances we would not have chosen.

Sometimes we want God to show us the entire plan before we agree to take the first step. We want reassurance that everything will work out as we expect. We want provision before we begin, confidence before we move, andconfirmation that removes every possibility of discomfort.

But God doesn’t always work according to our timing.

There may be waiting. There may be stretching. There may be moments when we wonder how we will get from where we are to where we believe He is leading us.

Yet God’s faithfulness is not determined by how quickly our circumstances change. His character remains the same.

This is where our faith is developed. We learn to trust Him not only when doors open, but also when we wait for direction. Not only when provision is abundant, but also when we must depend on Him one day at a time.

Our circumstances may be uncertain, but we can keep growing in our confidence in who God is.

When Fear Begins to Sound Like Wisdom

We also need to recognize how easily fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When we continually rehearse everything that could go wrong, we can become so focused on the possibility of failure that we never allow ourselves to discover what might happen if we trust God and move forward.

Complaining can become a lifestyle, too. When we repeatedly focus on what we lack, what isn’t working, and what seems impossible, we can gradually lose sight of God’s promises and the possibilities before us.

And then there are the voices of unbelief.

They aren’t always obvious. Sometimes caution sounds like wisdom. Sometimes the people who love us and want to protect us from disappointment can unintentionally encourage us to remain where we feel safe.

Of course, wise counsel matters. We need people who will help us consider the consequences of our decisions, ask thoughtful questions, and recognize when something needs further prayer or preparation.

But there is a difference between someone helping us discern a step and someone continually reminding us why we shouldn’t take it.

I don’t want people around me who only tell me how impossible something might be. I need people who will encourage me to seek God, strengthen my faith, and consider what might be possible through Him.

I need friends who remind me that my limitations do not define God’s abilities.

And I want to be that kind of friend to others, too.

Imagine how different our lives might look if we encouraged one another to trust God more deeply instead of constantly rehearsing our reasons for holding back.

Let’s Step Beyond What’s Comfortable

Jesus’ followers are called to live lives that point others toward Him. In John 14:12, Jesus says those who believe in Him will do the works He has done and even greater works.

What would it look like to take His words seriously in our everyday lives?

Perhaps it means sharing a story we have been afraid to tell. Maybe it means beginning a ministry, writing a book, reaching out to someone who needs encouragement, or finally taking a step toward something we have been praying about for years.

It might even mean allowing God to use us in a season when our own lives feel messy and unfinished. When we aren’t through the struggle, or don’t have the healing, we believe that HIS word will manifest.

We don’t have to wait until we feel fearless. We can take the next step while still acknowledging our fears and bringing them honestly before the Lord.

We don’t have to know every detail. We can pray, seek wise counsel, and take the next faithful step.

And we don’t have to compare our journey with someone else’s. God knows the person He created us to be, the experiences He has brought us through, and the ways our lives might encourage others.

So, let me ask you again: Are you looking at the size of your dream or the size of your God?

Let’s dig deep. Let’s build our faith. Let’s become people who are willing to move beyond comfortable words and put our trust into action.

Not because we believe we can accomplish everything in our own strength, but because we know that our strength has never been the whole story.

God is faithful. His promises are worth holding on to, even when we cannot see how they will unfold.

Don’t let fear write the ending before you have even begun.

Take that next step. Trust Him with the outcome. And be willing to discover what God can do through a heart that says yes.

Nothing is impossible with HIM.

What has God been stirring in your heart that you keep talking yourself out of? Take a moment to reflect on that question and invite the Lord into your answer.

Five Verses to Dig Deeper

1. Luke 1:37 — Nothing is impossible with God

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

The question becomes: Do I really believe this when God asks me to step outside my comfort zone?

2. Proverbs 3:5–6 — Trust Him when you can’t see the whole picture

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Don’t analyze a God-inspired idea until you talk yourself out of it.

3. 2 Timothy 1:7 — Fear doesn’t have to lead us

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Is fear disguising itself as wisdom?

4. Hebrews 11:6 — Faith requires trust

“But without faith it is impossible to please him…”

Make this more than “comfortable doctrine.” Faith isn’t simply agreeing that God is able; it involves trusting Him enough to respond and take risks.

5. Ephesians 3:20 — God can do beyond what we imagine

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…”

Think big, use your God-given imagination, and consider what HE can do with our risk as we step out.