Last night, Nik Wallenda – of “The Great Wallendas” – walked between rooftops in downtown Chicago, blindfolded during one segment of the walk. Once, when asked why he always does his stunts without a net, he said there are basically 2 reasons. The first is the entertainment value. Without the risk of death, people would be less inclined to care and watch the stunt. The second reason, however, was personal. If he knew he had a safety net, he would not concentrate as intensely and he would actually be more at risk to fail. The risk of doing the stunt with no net makes concentration a life or death issue.
A believer in Jesus, Nik unapologetically gives God glory and testifies to Jesus verbally during his stunts. What a forum for sharing Jesus, a forum he would never have if he settled for the safety of terra firma.
Most of us prefer to “play it safe” in our lives, and for the most part that is a good practice. No sense in doing foolish things. But what about our spiritual lives? Is the safe thing always the right thing? Is our comfort zone a place that pleases God? Consider what the Bible says:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6
Don’t underemphasize the first part of that verse – without faith it is impossible to please God. If there is no challenge for us in the service we render to God, if there is no need for us to depend on Him to enable us to do it, it cannot and does not please Him. If we are content doing what we know we can do, what we feel confident in ourselves doing, we are not pleasing God. No matter how religiously active our comfort zone may be, if it is does not require us to trust God, He’s not impressed, and He certainly isn’t pleased. Operating in the faith realm is like working without a net.
Change brings opportunity for us to please God, because change requires us to trust God to make things work out for good – as His word says it will (Romans 8:28). I’ve never walked through circumstances like I am experiencing now, but I am confident of God’s providence, so I am confident in God’s outcome. If I “knew” how all of this would turn out, then why would I need faith? And, if I didn’t need faith, how would I please God?
What comfort zones do you need to crawl of out of? How can you stretch your faith today? How is God calling you to step out in faith and to trust Him to do a great work in your life? Beats the high wire!