Risk Taking is a Necessity

God created you to live an exciting and powerful life. He created each of us with a purpose, and living out your individual purpose will be the most fun, most fulfilling life you could live. Many people never live out this purpose because they stay stuck in the past. Satan also wants to keep us in a static position. He wants to remind you of pain and failure, and fill you with fear to keep you stuck in your past. Satan wants to convince you that you can’t change or grow or be healed. Those are all lies. Wounded Heart p. 99

There is a saying that a person can be "like a deer caught in the headlights". Deer are beautiful animals but I don't think they are very intelligent. They live mostly by instinct. Deer often cross roads at night time because they don't understand the danger. When a car comes and the deer is in the middle of the road, something shuts down in them when a car comes. They actually freeze when they see the headlights of the oncoming car. They have the ability to escape but when they are paralyzed with fear, they often get hit and killed.

If we are not careful, we can be like that deer, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty of what is coming towards us in life. Just like that deer, we have the ability to move and be safe, but we must not get paralyzed with fear. I heard someone say that fear is actually faith in failure. I don't like failure but I refuse to let it paralyze me. I have decided to always continue moving forward even in pain and confusion. It is often as I move forward that God's presence and direction come into my situation.

Once you have clear direction from God, you are ready to go for it! This risk taking is a necessity to live life to the fullest! I refuse to be limited by my past or my present. An amazing thing happens as we struggle forward, most people never understand of see our struggle, they just see the results. When you fail, people just see that and don't appreciate the effort. When you succeed, they often assume it was easy! Either way, we can't live by what other people think or feel. Pray for direction, hear God's voice and go for it!

Prayer: Jesus, in Your Word, you declare that Your sheep hear Your voice. Guide me and direct me and help me have the courage to take wise risks according to Your will and in Your power! I pray this in Jesus name - amen!

The Abundant Life Means Taking Risks

Pain, failure and disillusionment can have a paralyzing effect. God has much more planned for your life. Jesus said in John 10:10, AMP, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)”. God doesn’t just want to heal you. He wants to make you whole, live in confidence and begin to take wise positive risks. Nobody ever achieves greatness without taking a risk. No one ever gets a new job or promotion or begins a new relationship without taking a risk. In fact if we want to achieve and experience the greatest things in life, we have to be progressively greater risk takers. Wounded Heart p. 98

Accomplishments require risks, great accomplishment's require taking great risks. It is easy to look at successful people and think that it was easy for them to achieve what they have done. I have learned that successful people have earned it. In my experience, people or the world don't just hand you things, you have to go get them!

I've come to a place where I applaud successful people because I understand the personal price they have had to pay to achieve things. Great marriages cost. Friendships cost. Any accomplishment worth having costs. Along the way are many opportunities to get side tracked, get tired, fail or quit.

But we serve a God that says we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us!!! (Phil. 4:13). I encourage to seek God daily, ask Him what He wants you to go after today and in the days ahead, and learn to rely on the strength of Jesus on a daily basis.

When we understand what God has created us to do and walk in His power, there is risk but there is also great reward!

Prayer: Jesus, I need your strength and wisdom today. Direct me today to what I should focus on and help me to see the big picture. Teach me to plan my life so that I can achieve all the purposes and the abundant life that you created me to live. I pray this in Jesus name - amen!

Key 11 – Be a Positive Risk Taker

Too many people live timid lives. They have been hurt and want to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. My experience is that many people who have gone through hard times or faced difficult situations will do the minimum to get by and get on with life. Past disappointment can make us fearful of taking risks or cause us not to try our hardest because of the possibility that there will be no benefit or reward at the end of the day. Wounded Heart p. 97

The devil plays games with people. He tempts them to do stupid things and then after that piles guilt and shame on them so they are afraid to try something new. The problem with that is that God is always doing something new. If we are paralyzed by the pain or disappointment of our past, we will miss out on what God has for us.

Throughout this book and the blog posts, we have taken many steps in the right direction. I am not talking about taking foolish risks or even unclear risks. I am talking about taking wise risks.

Wise risks are things like going for a promotion, writing a book, switching jobs, beginning new relationships but at the right time, in the right season and with both eyes open (and paying attention - LOL).

Jesus came that we may live life more abundantly and that will take some risks!

Prayer: Jesus, help me to be bold and take wise, positive risks. Lead me away from foolish risks and help me see opportunities to live life in a greater way. I pray this in Jesus name - amen.