If we are going to be used greatly by God, there is going to come a point where you and I must choose between safe, predictable, and certain, and the unknown that God is calling us into.
That makes us uncomfortable because we often tend to be risk-averse. Even for those of us who are accustomed to risk, it’s often as a function of it being within our comfort zone. We like what we know, and we track towards what we are comfortable with.
Following Jesus will always lead us in the other direction: away from our comfort zone and towards risk, where the outcome is anything but guaranteed. When Jesus calls us to such a place, what we have to remember is that our journey with Jesus is one of faith: having “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Going into the unknown is the essence of following Jesus.
At the same time, we have to be very discerning about what risks to take and when to take them. Not every idea that pops into our head comes from God, and not every need that presents itself is meant for us to attend to. While it’s disobedient to not take a risk when Jesus calls us to it, it’s likewise disobedient (and foolish) to take risks that Jesus never meant for us to take.
Put simply, there’s often a fine line between faith and foolishness.
With that in mind, how do we know when it’s time to take a risk? How do we know when it’s time to step out into the unknown…and when to pump the brakes?
Four ideas come to mind…
#1- What does God’s Word say?
God speaks to us primarily through His Word, and because His Word is alive, He often gives us clear direction from our time spent reading His Word. In fact, I would go as far to say that if we are not regularly engaging with God in His Word, it’s going to be very difficult if not impossible to discern what He wants for us to do- simply because we’re not going to be all that familiar with His voice.
Where God’s Word is clear, then our next step is clear- and we need not seek further guidance.
However, there are times where God’s Word is not so obvious. For instance, when I was sensing a call to start a church, there was no verse that said “Thou shalt start a new church in Smithfield!” There are going to be time where this is the case- and there is no direct answer from God’s Word. In those instances, the next two ideas are especially helpful.
#2- What do wise, godly people say?
God also speaks to us and gives us instruction through other people. Specifically, while He can speak through anyone (even a donkey!), He most often speaks through other people in our life who are both wise and godly. Wisdom demands that we seek their counsel when we are unsure of our next step, and we can often discern what God is calling us towards through their words.
For example, I had someone tell me I should start a church before I even sensed that was what God wanted me to do- and when they said that, my thought was “No way. I like where I’m at!” I find it interesting that God didn’t tell me that directly until He had spoken through another person. Even then, it was the counsel of another person later on that confirmed for me that starting a church was exactly what God was calling me towards.
Having the confirmation of God’s call through other people not only gives us the courage to take a step- it gives us the perseverance to persist when things get difficult.
When in doubt, seek counsel out…and listen to it.
#3- What do my circumstances indicate?
There are other times where God will speak to us through our circumstances to indicate what our next step is. For instance- if you are at the dentist and get in a conversation with the hygienist and the conversation turns to church and it turns out she doesn’t go…the next step is obvious. Invite her to church! You don’t need to pray about it or consult Scripture (though in this case it’s clear), you simply need to extend an invitation.
What about when Scripture isn’t clear? Say, for instance, you’re in a dating relationship and the other person is verbally abusive. You won’t find a Bible verse that says “Thou shalt break up,”…but your circumstances indicate that’s your next step.
This could fall under the category of “common sense.” It’s not the ultimate category, and often following Jesus defies common sense. However, Jesus also expects us to use the grayish organ floating between our ears as well, to observe what our circumstances are, and act wisely.
There’s one more idea that can be the most personal…but it should be balanced against the other three…for good reason.
#4- What do I hear God speaking to me?
To say that God does not speak directly to people any more is simply not biblical. At the same time…this is an area that can, frankly, be abused badly, and here’s why: Even when we are close with Jesus and recognize His voice, we are still living in minds that are warped by sin, and we are all prone to hear the wrong thing.
The risk you are considering may very well be the voice of God…but it could also be last night’s Taco Bell!
For that reason, any time we sense God leading us towards something- anytime we believe we have heard Him say “Do _______,” or “Go _________,” we need to consult His Word, ask other wise and godly people, and evaluate our circumstances.
God will never tell you to do anything that contradicts His Word. He’s not going to tell you to leave your spouse for another person.
When it comes to other people’s counsel, Scripture says this: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”(Proverbs 15:22). If other people are telling you “Yes” or “No” and it contradicts what you believe you’ve heard…chances are you are the one who has heard wrong.
As for circumstances, we should only ignore our circumstances and go with what we believe God has told us if 1) either His Word is clear that we should defy common sense, or 2) wise and godly people are confirming what God has told us, even in the face of logic dictating otherwise.
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The great news is that God is always speaking, and even if He calls us to a step of faith, I’ve never seen Him call me or anyone else to do so without giving us more than enough clarity on whether we should do so. The issue is typically not a lack of clarity- it’s a lack of obedience, usually because we are afraid of what will happen. And what encourages me in those moments is the fact that the results do not depend on me. God will take care of the results- whatever they are.
Our job is not to be successful. Our job is to be faithful, which means taking the risks that God tells us to- even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.