Stepping out in faith
Advent
Stepping out in faith
The road less travelled is that way precisely because it can be perilous and sometimes treacherously dangerous. Its pitfalls, South African-sized potholes come to mind, make this path notoriously difficult to navigate.
The daredevils among us, eager for new adventures, love taking that path and cannot wait to venture out. But others, the late adopters among us, those who err on the side of caution, generally prefer things to be safe. I carry a membership card for the latter.
Choosing to follow
Yet, my most pressing challenges have come as a result of responding to a resounding call on my life, interestingly enough, during Advent decades ago: choosing to follow Jesus. The path of following Him and walking in faith has actually been both exhilarating and daunting.
For starters, one cannot see all the points mapped out for the journey. One has to trust the cartographer of life to lead. And every individual’s path seems to be a little different.
Personally, I have found that you have to wait for instructions; you cannot rush ahead and follow somebody else’s path because it seems easier or better lit as it will surely take you to the wrong destination.
Furthermore, there are plenty of distractions, unfortunate heart-break and temptations along the way. You have to keep your wits about yourself. Deciding to change course professionally and venture out in an alien direction is this principle on steroids.
First of all, to do so flies in the face of the traditional, of following conventional wisdom. Who do you think you are? Why would you succeed?
Gobsmacked reactions
So many entrepreneurs have remarked that people have viewed such a decision – to risk a permanent job to do their own thing – in absolutely gobsmacked disbelief, convinced of its failure before even a step in that direction has been made. It seems a real shot in the dark – nonsensical and perhaps foolish.
Those who have had the privilege of succeeding, and these often end up being a tiny fraction, report that others have then expressed that it was all tremendous luck to start with.
You see, it is precisely so scary because few actually achieve all they have dreamed of and set their minds to. It requires more than a modicum of faith as well hard work, perseverance, courage and a willingness to be rejected by the truck load.
Besides the obstacles, one has to overcome self-doubt, financial fears, people’s opinions and finding reliable income streams in a competitive world. As Colin Powell, the late Former Secretary of State, United States of America said:
No guarantees
And yes, taking a risk in the hope of success is, indeed, a leap of faith. One is never sure of the outcomes exactly; one has to go for it. Perhaps, therein is the reason it is so hard to do. There are no guarantees. Yet, the greatest leaders and pioneers the world has seen were precisely the ones who were willing to risk it and follow their hearts.
What a conundrum! Yet, despite all the uncertainty that swirls around us, we have a source of comfort: we are led by the Word of God. I am so pleased to report what the Bible has to say about God’s loving care, guidance and direction for our lives below:
Leader par excellence
When I consider Jesus, the one we reflect on during this time of Advent, I see a leader par excellence. Not only is he omnipresent and omniscient, He has only our best interests at heart. The Bible shows that God will teach us the way we should go and counsel us with a loving eye on us.
If God puts it on our hearts to venture out on the way less travelled, we can know that we have the perfect companion on the road with us. Not only that, he illuminates the way with his Word.
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105
Taking care of those in care
In contrast, when I read articles about business and visionaries, I am often confronted with no-nonsense, ill-tempered founders. The most genius of men, revolutionaries even, sometimes seem to have built reputations based on unreasonable expectations from those in their care. History is crammed full with them: brilliant men who had not a clue.
Even today, some highly revered, modern thought leaders have shown the same propensity. Perhaps, it is merely the human condition.
I am so glad that God’s standard for leadership is wholly different in scope. In God’s kingdom, servant leadership is elevated and caring for those in one’s care takes priority. And it works; it is how the world was turned right-side up by a crew of the most unlikely of men willing to die for the cause.
I have just stumbled on quotes from John C Maxwell’s book, The 5 Levels of Leadership. Two of them have stood out to me specifically and I quote it below:
“A leader’s success should not be measured by their individual accomplishments, but by the success of their team.
“Leadership is not about position, it is about influence and impact.”
The problem with leaders
But where does the problem lie? After all, the system today is set up in a way to reward the movers and shakers who grasp opportunities to lead at whatever the cost. Especially when the number in their care is commensurate with an increase in their pay. Truly, a meal ticket to a better life.
Furthermore, the quality of their leadership is rarely scrutinised if it is found that they adequately contribute to the bottom line – and in business, it is not the bottom line for nothing.
Simon Sinek, global, bestselling author and respected thought leader, has often bemoaned the fact that leaders are not specifically taught to lead. He juxtaposes this with the effort exerted to obtain the pre-requisite qualifications and experience regarded as necessary to obtain a specific job. Watch the clip here.
Visionary leadership
Jesus, trusted and true yet always at the vanguard, is regarded as the most legendary and visionary of men. Quite frankly, He is straight up out of this world and as for being creative and innovative; extraordinary.
Yet, He values servanthood, kindness and love. So impactful was his life that mortal men who followed him became unafraid to die. Not least after witnessing his death and meeting a resurrected Christ, and then understanding that he did it for the ones who would follow him.
His leadership is not in any doubt, but are we as invested in following Christ and walking in his footsteps? Are we following the illuminated path?
If you have taken a leap of faith and decided to trust God and the carpenter from Galilee with your journey in life, not only can you rest easy in the fact that he knows the way, but he promises to be with you every step of the way.
The road less travelled by virtue of its nature requires some failure – but the road goes where few are willing to go. No, I am not saying, venture where angels fear to tread, but go in faith where few humans have made a mark, where the Divine One guides.
And yes, I agree, it requires courage in spades and a concomitant willingness to step out in faith. But doing so for the Christian is not that hard when one considers the stature and reputation of the One who leads the way.
What next?
If this made an impression on you, please show the love by clicking on the heart on the bottom of this post. I will be tickled pink and the heart will change colour too. Then kindly spread the love on the socials, please.
Tomorrow, we talk about how vital prayer is as it undergirds our trust in the One leading the way and is a mainstay for life lived and path trod in faith.
Please note Scripture quoted throughout is taken from the New International Version.
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Love love love! Beautiful, thought-provoking message. Your website is easy to navigate and beautifully laid out. A treasure!
Yay! Thank you, Sharon! I absolutely love your comment. It means the world to me and I feel incredibly encouraged.
Hi Imo,
I’m sure many who are travelling the solo journey will appreciate these words.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for commenting, Tracy. You are one intimately aware of the pitfalls of the solo journey, and thus your words as someone in the know are greatly appreciated.