I’m ready for a radical kind of life. But am I really?
The economy has been pressing down on our family for months now, and I feel as if I had been climbing a great mountain on my way to a spectacular view — only to hit an unexpected rockslide. I cling to the shaky surface of the mountain, intent on reaching the summit as planned, but now I’m forced to dodge a slew of crushing, terrorizing boulders rolling past with an intent on bringing me down with them. With so much going on around me, I have lost sight of the beautiful summit. Now I am focusing on the dangers of the climb instead of my destination.
I’m wondering… why? Why have I lost sight of my destination: living a no-holds-barred, adventurous life full of the presence of God and ready to go anywhere He leads? Why lose that vision for my life? Well, it’s because of fear….and distractions…. and more trouble than I ever expected.
But what if I let go?
What if I choose to let go of the rocks of my life, the supports that have carried me for years? These are the very things that I have been counting on to hold me safely in place for my entire life. What if I release my hold on them – pushing them away even – and truly, finally let go? What if I entirely trust in God to bear the weight of my existance, just as a rock climber trusts the ropes that mean life or death during a dangerous adventure?
I’m tired of counting on material things to carry me. Those things shift and change. They roll away from my hold like a slipping rock, tumbling to the ground below and far from my reach. I can’t count on things that shift and move any longer.
But I can count on God. He will never lose His grip on me. He has prepared the most breathtaking view just ahead, and its beauty is only sweetened in overcoming the obstacles that stand in my way of finding it. The promised land exists, but the road to it is often long and difficult. How many of us truly get to that promised land?
So the question is: should we settle for a safe walk? If we do, we will not see such an incredible view at the end of our journey, nor catch our breath in wonder and amazement when we have reached the place of promise. We will never know if the ropes that hold us from above, God’s lifeline, will truly support us… or not. We will only exist.
But I want more! I want to trust God with every ounce of my being. I want to lift my gaze to the summit again, and refuse to give up to a simpler, safe kind of life. I want to see the expansion of creation after I reach the top and to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is very real, and He is holding my lifeline securely forevermore.
Yes, I want this radical kind of living starting today. You know what? I’m letting go. Why don’t you, too?
Hi Kelly,
I discovered you on TWV2 and came to explore your website. Thank you for this wonderful post–your words describe so accurately my family’s journey for the last 2+ years. I just wrote about it last week in my blog post entitled “Stand Firm.” It’s so interesting to me how we chose two different illustrations, but our conclusions about counting on God are the same. Thank you for sharing your heart after God and your gifts as a writer!
Shaunie