When was the last time you took a
risk?
An old preacher once said, “Faith is
spelled: R-I-S-K.” And I’m beginning to agree. You see, I am the only
boy in the family. But growing up I was the coward. My sisters were strong,
courageous women, and I was terrified of Michael Jackson’s Thriller video
(couldn’t even hear it on the radio).
As a young boy, I was afraid of
heights, lake water, frogs, shadows and public speaking. Now,
I have overcome all those fears.
Except frogs.
My nature is to be cautious,
reserved and nervous. Somewhere along the line God the Father gave me the gift
of faith. I use to think I had to make myself be courageous and then I
discovered that it was an available download from heaven.
“Great faith doesn’t come out of great effort, but out of great
surrender.”
— Bill Johnson
You have to understand that I’m not
talking about extreme sports type risks (although I love those and have tried
some). What I’m really talking about is day-to-day courage. The
courage to go after your passions. The audacity to pursue the
girl of your dreams. The boldness to have the difficult conversation, which
feels like a confrontation but has the potential to restore lost relationships
.
“Do one thing every day that scares you.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
Some people think that the
difference between success and failure is knowledge. Others believe that it’s
in the planning and preparation or timing and fortune. But I have
discovered that the difference between doing something great and not doing
something great is whether I am doing anything at all.
We can live by this: Take
risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.
This is a win-win!
So let me give you 6 simple steps to
start living like a risk-taker:
1.
Always go with your passions.
Your heart is screaming your
destiny. The things that wake you up in the morning (or keep you up at night)
are sending you a message. Stop ignoring their signals. Start pursuing
that career, that art program, that mission field. And listen to your
frustrations!
“You can’t have everything you want, but you can have the things
that really matter to you”. –Marissa Mayer
2. Take
baby steps
It’s very possible that the
magnitude of your dream scares you from beginning. But all you have to do is
take one baby step in the direction of your dreams. That first step is the
greatest risk you can take.
So define that step. Give it a name
and a date. Start speaking it out loud to those you trust. Make yourself
accountable for taking it. Then, take it!
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best
time is now.”
–Chinese Proverb
3. Don’t
judge, just _________.
This was the advice that got me
writing, “Don’t judge, just write.” It attacked my shame of having terrible
English grammar. It went against everything in me that asked, “Who cares
about what you have to say, Carlos?” It was the invitation from
heaven to stop judging myself, my audience, my content, even what God had given
me to share.
“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To NOT dare is
to lose oneself.”
–Søren Kierkegaard
4.
Do it for others.
Focus on people; not on earnings, or
success, or ministry. If your dreams are about anything but serving others,
pursuing your dreams will kill the real you.
So, think about the ways you can
make others great. Plan for your ceiling to be someone else’s launching pad.
Begin by dreaming your legacy, imagine your followers and see them as the
protagonist of the story.
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you
do not care who gets the credit.”
(A quote attributed to 3 different American presidents).
5.
Embrace your weakness.
Being self-aware is a powerful thing.
Because when you know what you’re good at (or really bad at), then you can move
forward confidently.
Ask questions. Request feedback
from your leaders. Revise your past failures and learn from your mistakes. When
you embrace your weakness, your strengths will expose themselves.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and
go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come
alive.” ― Howard Thurman
6.
Honor yourself.
God thinks your desires are
important. He values who you are, what you like, how you feel and what you’re
dreaming about. Traditional Christianity told us to die to our passions and
desires. But that was usually a rhetoric being preached by leaders that
wanted us to live for their passions and desires. We forgive them.
We move forward. And we honor who we are.
“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your
heart.”
― Psalm 37:4
Trust me on this one: If you take
risks, you will enjoy life more. It’s that simple. You and I were designed
for adventure and abundance. Our spiritual nature is creativity and life. Jesus
paid the price so that we would have access to all the goodness of God on
earth.
Take a chance on faith. Become
a risk-taker.
Because fear looks like wisdom
sometimes, but it’s only to those in unbelief.
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