Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Are you a risk-taker, or do you play it safe? 

Often, fear of rejection, loss, or change becomes overwhelming and prevents us from taking risks. In Jerry and Marge Go Large, Jerry reluctantly retires from his beloved job as a line manager. Shortly after retirement, he loses the sense of meaning and purpose that his job gave him. However, by taking one small risk, Jerry’s life changes forever. In the weeks after retirement, he soon becomes invested in the lottery and uses his mathematical talents to win big. 

Initially, he loses a significant sum of money, but he does not let the setback scare him. Rather, he learns from it and spends most of his waking hours relentlessly crunching numbers to predict the lottery’s algorithm. He soon finds the perfect formula and accurately predicts the winning numbers each time, buying all the winning lottery tickets. Jerry not only won big, he rediscovered his passions and purpose.

Like Jerry, we must remember to be adventurous and take small risks, trusting God with the outcome. It would have been easy for Jerry to give up after his first loss and walk away defeated. Though the outcome wasn't promised, he was determined to take another risk.

In our daily lives, we are called to leave our comfort zones and trust God with the outcomes of our calculated risks. While the unknown can be scary, we must remember that his plans are always greater than ours (Romans 8:38). Following Jesus was never meant to be boring. He calls us, his disciples, to take risks and trust our Savior to take care of the rest.

Take this reminder from the gospel of Mark: Jesus calls us to be like little children, trusting in who he is and in the sense of security that he brings to us.

Mark 10:14-15
¹⁴ When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. ¹⁵ I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 

When presented with your next risk, have childlike faith, trusting in the one who gives us life and works things out for our good. 

Questions:
What is the biggest risk you have taken?

What is a small risk you can take this week?

Next Steps:
Attend GrowthTrack to discover your God-given purposes and passions.

Join a Group, leaving your comfort zone to connect with other Jesus followers.

Flash Fiction is back!! If you want another fun story that captures the theme of this week’s movie, you can find a Flash Fiction story below this post, on the homepage of our app, or have it sent to you directly by texting FICTION to 419-419-0707.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thanks for always being there for me when life seems scary or uncertain. Give me the strength and courage to leave my comfort zone, trusting in you to take care of the outcome. Encourage me to become bold and courageous in my faith, taking risks to show your love to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Romans 1:20
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.