Risky Business? Do we REALLY have to go there? It doesn’t sound like much fun.
Sure, when our days on this earth are nearing an end, we want to be able to look back and say “I’ve had a good life.” But . . . I’m afraid most of us would prefer that to come easily and safely WITHOUT any of that risky stuff.
OUR NATURE WORKS AGAINST US
As a rule, humans are creatures of habit. Most of us sit in the same pew each week, we go to the same restaurants, we stick with what we know and are comfortable with . . . even if it no longer meets our needs. But there’s an ugly truth …
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.”
Doing something different inherently comes with risks . . . and risks are scary.
Our brain goes crazy. What if we can’t do it? We could make a fool of ourselves. What if we fail miserably? We could end up in a worse place than we were before. What if . . . what if . . . what if?
IF IT CAUSES SO MUCH FEAR, WHY RISK BEING RISKY?
Gaining freedom from any type of addiction or stuckness requires that we take risks.
We may need to . . .
. . . learn how to handle stress, or anger, or fear differently
. . . resolve issues that we have spent a lifetime avoiding.
. . . get out of our comfort zone and learn to trust God and others.
. . . stop using an addiction or other coping skill to keep us feeling safe and normal.
. . . relinquish our need to totally control every facet of our lives
HOW DO WE EVEN GET STARTED?
Since it is scary any time we step out and seek to do something new, we need to let others rally around us and support us as we begin to take those risks.
For some of us, that first step is risky in itself, but we don’t have to involve the whole world. Finding one trusted friend or pastor that is willing to be a cheerleader and encourager is a step in the right direction.
You also need to convince yourself that feeling a little bit of fear is not only survivable, but is actually a very good thing. In all truth, if you’re not feeling a little bit of apprehension right now, you’ve slipped back into that “comfortable” place—the place of stuckness. Sadly, nothing significant is going to change as long as you insist on staying there.
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”—Deuteronomy 31:8
TODAY’S CHAT: What small risk can you take TODAY that will help you move (even if it’s a baby step) toward the freedom, peace and more satisfying life you desire? Even taking just one tiny risk a day will put you 365 steps closer to your goals by this time, next year.
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