Have you ever heard the expression “stepping out in faith”? I have always been drawn towards challenges. I guess you would say I am a high risk-taker. This is a personality trait. Perhaps your personality is more cautious. You like to check out the risks before you make a commitment. These differences in personality are given by God and both have their positive and negative aspects. The risk-taker may find it easier to step out in faith and try new and difficult tasks for the Lord. It is not as hard for this person to put herself out there, even at the risk of failure. The negative side of this type of personality is that the person can continuously jump from one commitment to the next without taking time to pray and consider what the Lord wants her to do - and the timing in which she should do it. She is prone to over-commitment.
On the other hand, the person with a more cautious personality is often better at taking time to pray about her commitments. She usually will not over-commit to things. Her hesitation to be involved in high-risk situations lead her to pray and rely on the Spirit. The negative side is that her cautiousness may lead her to avoid God-given opportunities. Her fear of risk may cause her to look at her own abilities rather than the power of the Spirit, thus avoiding a good work or experiencing anxiety while doing it.
When we walk in faith, we are trusting God’s guidance and empowering. As we read through Hebrews 11, we see the faith of the ancients and why God commended them. These saints trusted in the character of God. They believed that whatever God called them to do, He would give them all they needed to accomplish the task. Why did they have this faith? Because they knew God! The more we know, and have faith in the true character of God, the more our lives will demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Whether our personality is that of a risk-taker or a more cautious personality, we need to make decisions based on obedience and faith - obedience to God and His calling and faith in His character to enable us to carry out these good works.
Today’s Bible Reading: James 2:14-26; 5:13-20
Excerpt from Mission Impossible by Sue Corl
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