When You Step Out in Big Faith

October 27, 2015

It feels like the popular worship songs have the same main message: You call me out upon the water, You make me brave, You call me out beyond the shore into the waves, You lead me where my trust is without borders. 

I get it. I get why we resonate with those words and those songs. Life throws us curveballs and opportunities and all these things that leave us with big, hard, heart-aching choices to make.

Stay or go. Yes or no. Accept or decline.

This month, I said yes. I accepted. I said I would go.

This week, I've stepped out into new waters. I've gone places where my trust was without borders and it was really all I had to lean on. I've entered a new role at a new place with new people and new responsibilities, and I've had to quickly learn how to swim so I wouldn't sink.

These waters are unfamiliar. I don't know what's coming, I don't know what I'm doing, and I feel like I'm treading water and trying to figure out what everybody is else around me is doing to stay afloat.

The whole stepping out in faith thing is terrifying. That first day of school nervous feeling doesn't go away even when you're twenty-three and have a college degree under your belt. I still felt anxious and nervous and unsure. I still want everyone to like me, and I still want to impress my boss like I used to want to impress my teachers.

Here's the thing though: I could have chosen to let fear reign and win, but I didn't. I decided that I wanted those words I sing every Sunday to actually be true in my life. I heard the Lord calling me into deeper, newer waters, and I didn't stay safe on the shore. I stepped out in faith into all the unknown, buoyed by my trust and kept afloat by His grace alone.

He made me brave.

He called me out beyond the shore into the waves.

I said yes. I went. I followed.

I knew staying on the sandy, safe, familiar, comfortable shore was an option. But I've heard the stories of what happens when we build our lives on sand. I didn't want that for my life. I didn't want to stay there, afraid, just waiting for the next storm to come wash away everything because I tried to make my own way for myself.

I wanted to trust the solid Rock. That was always the best option. Building my foundation on Him means the storms can come (and they will) and I'll be fine. Building my life on His will means when He calls me, He will sustain me, He will provide for me, He will make a way for me. Building my life on Him means the waters won't be the death of me-- they'll be the way to new depths and stronger faith. Building my life on Him means the waves can crash over me, but they'll be waves of His love, His grace, His mercy, His faithfulness, His goodness, His provision, His abundance, and they'll carry me through.

Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders. I mean that when I say it. Those words aren't hollow here. You're my lighthouse, You will lead me. I'm swimming toward you, every inch a prayer of trusting faith.

You make me brave.