The Risk & the Journey

Posted on 11. Mar, 2009 by markdoebler in Faith, Life

Yesterday evening, someone in our church (Second Chance Church) twittered that they were having a difficult time hearing God’s voice in a particular matter and that concerned them. ?My response was that at times, it’s not our “hearing” that is impaired. ?There are times that God is intentionally “hard to get” because there is something in the journey, something in the effort to get an answer that is the key lesson. ?

Interestingly enough, this morning, Seth Godin has published a similar thought on his blog. ?In it, he uses the story of Noah. ?While I can’t find any evidence for his “tanned dolphin leather”, the bulk of his post is really helpful. ?

My friend Adam had an interesting take on this. He told me that the acquisition of the leather is irrelevant. It was the quest that mattered. Having a community-based quest means that there’s less room for whining, for infighting and for dissolution. Having a mission not only points everyone in the same direction, it also creates motion. And motion in any direction is often better than no motion at all.

All around you, people are telling you two things:?
1. whatever you want, forget it, it’s impossible,?and?
2. sit still, preserve resources, lay low.

And yet, the people who are succeeding, creating change and (not coincidentally) are happier aren’t listening to either of these pieces of advice. Instead, they’re on the search for dolphin leather.

Frank Sinatra had it wrong. Your dream shouldn’t be impossible, but it sure helps if it’s improbable. Don’t choose your dreams based on what is certain to happen, choose them based on what’s likely to cause the change you want to occur around you.

There are quite a few people in Peoria and beyond that are truly scrambling for answers on the job/career front. ?And the fear of job loss can be crippling. ?Yet, perhaps it is the journey that lies ahead that is more important. ?

And what about spiritual endeavors. ?How often have all of us sat and complained about what is or isn’t getting done instead of simply joining ourselves in mission to reach those who need to hear the message of the gospel or feel the touch and love of Jesus through the actions of a church? ?

As I sat in Orlando at a church-planters conference in February, I remember one statement in particular that really struck me. ?It followed a re-telling of the story of Jonathon and his armor-bearer taking on an entire squad of men by themselves. ?There were no resources, they were ridiculously outnumbered, but they took a chance for God… and God showed up. ?At the end of that story, the speaker reminded us that all the God stories that we love to tell and hear, always happen on the other side of RISK! ?

So what are you risking? ?Where are you joining in a mission that has no gaurantees? ?Where are you stretching yourself without a promised outcome? ?There are times that the answer lies at the end of that risk and there are some lessons that will only be learned in the journey.

Tags: Faith, journey, risk