A few years ago, I sensed God calling me to step out in faith and take a risk that was beyond my comfort zone. I didn’t feel equipped for the assignment. I wanted signs of God’s provision before I took the first step of faith.
After months of hesitation, I finally obeyed. The journey has had plenty of ups and downs, but at the end of each day, I’m thankful to fall asleep, knowing I am doing my best to follow God.
God often calls us into assignments for which we don’t feel equipped.
Like Peter, God calls us to step out onto the water before we know what the outcome might look like.
When God Calls You to Step Out in Faith
The account of Peter walking toward Jesus on the water is one of my all-time favorite passages in the Bible. You’re probably familiar with the story: Jesus is walking on the water. Peter asks to join him, climbs out of the boat, takes a few steps, and begins to sink. Jesus saves the day by reaching out and rescuing Peter. (See Matthew 14 for the full story.)
We could glean a dozen insights from this narrative, but we’ll focus on two specific insights today:
First, before we step out in faith, we should make sure Jesus is calling us.
Second, when we do step out in faith, we can trust Jesus to uphold us.
Before You Step Out in Faith . . .
Let’s begin with a quick conversation about making sure Jesus is calling us. Peter began by assuring that Jesus was the one calling to him. In the same way, when we sense God calling us to step out in faith, it’s wise to seek confirmation before taking the leap.
I’ve discovered that some of my great inspirations are from Jesus, and others are birthed from my own desires.
How do we find confirmation?
We can test these impressions by making sure they align with Scripture, seeking wise counsel, praying, using common sense, and asking for wisdom. Whenever possible, I’ve also learned to give my dreams time to air out.
At times, I’ve had ideas that felt like exciting steps of faith. I’ve been ready to quit my job, buy a new house, or launch a new ministry. However, after giving these ideas room to breathe, within a few months, they lost their steam. I realized I was not hearing from the Lord. I simply had a good idea and felt excited about it.
Here are two powerful questions to ask when you sense God asking you to step out in faith:
1. Does this decision align with God’s character in Scripture and the way he typically calls his followers to step out in faith?
2. Does this decision align with common sense and wisdom?
You might also take it a step further and ask:
3. What does the most mature believer in my life have to say about this?
4. Can I wait a few months before making this decision to see if it still seems to be from God?
We Can Trust God to Uphold Us
The second insight we can learn from Peter is this: When Jesus is the one leading us, we can trust him to uphold us.
Peter stepped out of the boat. Undoubtedly, he trusted Jesus to uphold him, which is exactly what happened.
When Jesus does call us to follow him by faith, we can trust him to care for us and protect us. He is capable of reaching out to save us the instant we start to sink.
Is Jesus calling you to step out in faith and follow him into any new situations, ministries, or ventures in your life? Test your impression with the Bible, wisdom, common sense, and a mature believer.
If you sense Jesus is directing you, ask him to show you the first step, and take that step today. If you are uncertain, give your idea space to breathe, and trust Jesus to guide you when the time is right.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Stacey Pardoe
Featured Image by ÉMILE SÉGUIN on Unsplash
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