What Everyone Should Know When Taking A Risk

by Janell Urban

Stepping out into the unknown is never easy. Starting a new job, a new business, a ministry, or even a marriage, requires planning and vision. You hope that everything will work in your favor. Pros outweigh cons making the journey worth the effort.

Faith in success motivates you to crawl, move, or leap toward destiny.

My husband and I moved away from all that was familiar to do ministry work with friends who had pastored us several years ago.  We were convinced that the ministry would launch into greatness once we arrived.

This new venture was covered in prayer. We believed God gave us the green light to move. God directed us through the process of ending our commitments where we had been very involved for fifteen years. We purchased a house nineteen hours from home, loaded up our belongings and headed for greatness.

Everyone wants to be the greatest. Our commonness is: we all want to be successful. Titles, positions, and rewards propel us to plunge into uncharted waters.

In Luke 22, an argument arose over who would sit at Jesus’ right hand.

Jesus told his disciples those who are greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Normally the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here. Jesus served the men by stooping down to wash their dirty feet.

We are placed in our workplaces, churches, and families to serve. Great individuals give of their time, help, money, ideas, and wisdom to make the world a better place. Jesus was showing his disciples how to minister and care for people. He washed feet, prepared meals and had great compassion for the hurting—giving a living example of serving.

As soon as we arrived at our new destination, our relationship with our friends started to splinter. The title and position they promised were not given. Our dreams dissolved. We found ourselves in a troubling situation.

Losing faith is easy when we are troubled. Fear can seep in when we take a risk, and we don’t see the success we hoped for. We may feel our faith slip away. The enemy mocks, “Where is your Jesus now?” This feeling can shake us to our core. We doubt and second guess ourselves.

At the disciple’s dinner, Jesus knew the men would crumble at tomorrow’s pain. No one would want to be anywhere near their fearless leader. He knew their motives. Yet, Jesus never scolded or condemned. Instead, he prayed for their faith not to fail. He encouraged Peter saying, when you recognize what has happened, repent and turn to me again.

Regardless of the condition of their hearts at the last supper and the failures of the coming days, triumph was in their future.

My husband and I stayed where God moved us. We repented of selfish motives and things said out of fear. We found a nearness of his presence in our chaos. Our relationship with him and each other strengthened. My husband landed a better job than was available where we had lived before, and God is using us to help others through various ministries.

If serving is our motivation when circumstances change or fall apart, then our faith will not fail. We will triumph.

Next Steps

What does having a great life look like for you? What do most people picture when they think of a great life? Does it involve taking great risks? For what purpose? Take some time to explore those questions by watching this short video from The Fuel Project:

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