Stepping Over the Line

I’m not talking about crossing the line – doing something that you shouldn’t do. I want to encourage you to step over the line.

There is a line in each of our lives which separates our comfort zone from our risk zone. As you approach this line, you tend to experience things like fear, anxiety, and unease. Because of these normal responses to this line, most of us move back into the area of comfort.

We see a friend or family member heading in the wrong direction. We begin to think about what we ought to say to encourage them back in the right direction. We start to feel anxious, so we decide to do nothing.

We hear of a need that moves our heart. We feel strongly that we need to help. As we begin to move closer to doing something about it, we begin to doubt, so we do nothing.

We sense Jesus calling us to take a step of faith in our lives. We are hesitant and afraid of what this will mean, so it is easy to distract ourselves with our own busyness or justify why taking a risk isn’t the right decision. We do nothing.

All of these describe instances of moving toward the line that separates comfort and risk and how often we stay in the area of comfort.

This is not the Jesus Way. This is not the pathway of the Epic Life. It is safe, comfortable, easy, but not biblical. And if we’re honest, many of us, if faced with the decision to give up what we’ve found in this life, won’t take the risk. If given the chance to pursue a life of risk-taking and adventure where we’re called into the unknown having to be dependent on something outside of ourselves, most of us balk. “Why would I choose that?” “Why would I give up my good and comfortable life?” “What would I risk it?”

These are legitimate and important questions. And what’s true about them is God gives you the opportunity to ask them every day. It’s not a one-shot experience. You may choose comfort today, but God is going to invite into His life tomorrow. The invitations will keep coming no matter how often you reject them.

The Jesus Way involves stepping over the line. It means stepping over the line at work. It means stepping over the line in relationships. It means learning to live a life where Jesus’ Way of living is your guide. You are dependent upon Him and not yourself. It will not be comfortable. It will not be easy. It will not be safe. But it will be good and epic and abundant and life-changing and kingdom building and obedient and joyful and . . . it will be life as life is meant to be lived.

In fact, another way to describe what I’m saying is that it will be a life where the steps you take are steps of faith not certainty. You will have to put your foot in places where it is not clear whether you will find solid ground. You’ll have to trust in the one you can’t see with your eyes to be the foundation upon which you walk. Steps of certainty are found in the land of comfort. Steps of faith are found in the Jesus’ Way.

Right now, I believe, Jesus is encouraging you to step over the line. It may be in a relationship. It may be in your walk with Him. It may be in a willingness to do something that makes you uncomfortable, but you believe it is what God wants you to do. Don’t move away from these feelings of fear and anxiety. Step into them. Step into them knowing that you step into the arms of God. Though you may trip and struggle and even suffer, know that THIS LIFE is His life, and His life is a life that truly changes the world and will definitely be a life that enables you to experience the promises of His joy, peace, purpose, love, hope, and freedom. Comfort is easy, but it is also shallow and self-centered and in the long run empty.

If you don’t believe me, then look at Jesus’ life. Look at His disciples. Look at what they found. LIFE by stepping over the line, by stepping in faith, by stepping into a place where they were forced to depend upon their Father.