2024 – An Adventure Ahead
It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to. — Bilbo Baggins, “The Lord of the Rings”
We were made for adventure. It’s the adventures, the experiences that contain an element of risk — a stretching of our faith —in the pursuit of something worthwhile, and Kingdom worthy that make us feel most alive.
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
On a recent trip I learned an important lesson about God-worthy faith-driven adventures. Just before takeoff, the pilot warned us to expect a bumpy ride. I’m not normally a nervous flyer, but this flight left me clinging to the armrests with a vice grip. Oh, I tried to appear calm as I squeezed out some occasional words in a poor attempt at conversation with my seatmate. But I was flat out scared.
And then a strange thing happened. I don’t know if I was just worn out from resisting the ride or what, but I let go of the armrests, folded my arms across my chest, and sank deep into my seat. Instead of bracing myself for the next wave of convulsions, I allowed myself to move in rhythm with the movements of the plane. Not only did the proper blood flow return to my fingertips, but I found myself less fearful as well.
When Jesus told people to follow him, he never guaranteed a smooth ride. He told them only that he had bigger plans for them than the ones they could imagine.
What does that have to do with money? Quite a bit, really. And it has everything to do with this time of year—traditionally a time of making resolutions or setting goals.
I’m convinced that the reason so many of us break our resolutions is because we made them out of a sense of duty or obligation. So, this year, if you’re willing to give it another try, take a different approach. Through prayer, ask God to reveal His desire for you this year. Whether it is getting out of debt so you can double your giving or accepting a new position to spend more time with your family, commit to “step on to the road” of a God-worthy faith-driven adventure.
The Bible tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). As I’m continuing to learn, letting go and trusting are important parts of what it means to answer Jesus’ call to “follow me.”
Let the adventure begin!