Most of us know what makes life worthwhile usually involves risk.
The same is true about faith.
Nevertheless, when push comes to shove, most of us lean toward playing it safe. Taking risks is too darn… risky.
It’s fun watching other people take risks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX_jFK9Zf5k
But doing it ourselves? There’s just too much at stake.
Have you ever thought there might be too much at stake not to?

There seem to be 3 general reasons why we don’t risk. (There may be more, but since I preached on this, three points are all you’re going to get.)
The first reason we avoid risk is when we can’t see what’s ahead. Since we never really see what’s coming, this turns out to be all the time. We are always tempted to hold back, play it safe. But believe it or not, there is a Bible verse that says we should do just the opposite.
“Cast your bread upon the water… after many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight for you do not know what disasters will fall upon the land.”
(If you are confused, it took me a few times reading it before I understood, and I preached on it.) Solomon is essentially saying Because you don’t know what’s going to happen, give as much as you can.
Wait, what?
Most of us would expect it to say, Because you don’t know what’s going to happen, hold on to what you’ve got. But Solomon says Because you don’t know what the future holds, do what you can today.
We may think what we have is not enough. Or we are not where we want to be. (Welcome to life).
But we can trust that God has us where we are for a reason- and He wants to use us right where we are.
Even if it’s not where we would choose to be.

The second reason we avoid risk is when our circumstances are not lined up.
We want assurance before we step out.
Moses felt that way too. In Exodus 3, when God told Moses to go rescue the Israelites, Moses wanted a sign from God that he could do it. So God said
“This will be your sign–when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain.”
Excuse me?
I thought signs were supposed to come before you did something, not after.
But how then would we get the chance to live by faith?
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
   Remember Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? Leap of faith? Come on baby boomers… (and those who heard about it from their parents)… Indy had to step out before the bridge appeared.
Perhaps Solomon says it best when he says “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” (Ecc.11:4)
In other words, Keep watching and waiting and you will never move.
So MOVE.

But if you’re anything like me, that word “Move” leads to the third- and probably biggest- reason we are afraid to step out.
We’re afraid that we might fail.
And here’s the thing- we might.
But what starts out as failure doesn’t always end as failure.
In fact, sometimes the path to success IS failure. Check this out and see how: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzBCI13rJmA
Life is risk. And faith is risk.
And personally, I’ve never heard of anyone who got to the end of their life and said “I wish I hadn’t trusted God so much”
But I’m willing to bet that Heaven is lined up with people who say the exact opposite.

So what might God be calling you to do?
What’s stopping you?

For info on Finding Faith in the Dark (my big risk), check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKxS5LZ2A10