Into the Unknown

Sometimes God calls us to do hard things. Things we may not understand. It takes crazy faith to obey God even when you can’t foresee the outcome of that obedience. It doesn't feel safe.

I am not one to voluntarily leave my comfort zone. When God calls me to step into unknown territory, fearful questions come flooding in and I'm faced with a tough decision. The answer is always "yes" to the Lord, but sometimes it is a struggle to get to that place of complete surrender.

Lately, the Lord has been drawing me deeper into relationship with Him. It is exciting, but it also requires a lot of trust. For the first time, I can to relate to Abraham. God called Abraham (as He calls us all) to abandon his life to follow Him. Abraham, like a fool in love, chose to obey. His life story is one of radical faith and obedience. It inspires me.

As I read Abraham's story again, I had to wonder. How did he do it? How could this guy literally pack up everything he owned and leave everything he knew to follow God? I think it's because Abraham really grasped this simple truth: God is a good Father. Therefore, it follows that anything He calls us to do is for a good reason — even if we don’t understand how or why at the time. Obedience springs from trust that His plans are good.

Sometimes I just want to ask God, "Why?" I don't always understand the reason behind His calling. It frustrates my human mind. Wouldn't it make life easier if God would just explain Himself? In Abraham's case, God could have just handed him a map to the promised land. But it isn't like the Father to give us a To-Do list and exit the scene. There is no relationship that way. God doesn't lead us into the unknown to abandon us there.

Instead of just pointing Abraham in the right direction, God promised that He would show him where to go. Every day, Abraham's steps were guided by the Father. He didn't mention where they were headed because it wasn't just about the destination; it was about the journey. If the future wasn't a mystery to us, we would be restless in the present. God reserved the right to lead Abraham so that their relationship could grow without distraction. 

It's okay to not understand when God speaks. James tells us that trials of faith ultimately lead to strengthened character. Because of Jesus, we can have an even deeper relationship with the Father than Abraham had! This is crucial, because life happens and life is hard. It is a divine paradox to find safety and security in a God who calls us into the unknown.

Each time God calls, we have a choice to make: Listen to fear or step out in faith. If Abraham had stayed put when God told him to move, the entire earth would look different. God needed someone to be the father of many nations, but Abraham still had a choice. Obedience, no matter how difficult, always brings blessings. God doesn't get any glory when we cave in to fear. 

"If you take that first step

Into the unknown

He won't let you go

So what are you waiting for?"

- Walk on the Water by Britt Nicole