At its core, faith is an act of trust – a confident reliance on God that always requires moving into the unknown. One of essentially the most profound yet incessantly neglected facets of religion is risk.
In the context of religion, risk involves the willingness to maneuver beyond the familiar and cozy, to obey God even when the consequence is uncertain. It is in these moments of uncertainty that the authenticity of our faith is tested and revealed. Without a readiness to embrace risk, our faith stays theoretical, untested, and potentially stagnant.
The Bible is crammed with examples of people whose faith was proven within the crucible of risk. Abraham, often known as the daddy of religion, left his homeland and all that was familiar to journey to an unknown land just because God commanded it (Genesis 12:1-4). Peter stepped out of a ship onto the stormy sea on the word of Jesus, risking his very life in the method (Matthew 14:29). Esther approached the king, risking her life to avoid wasting her people, saying, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). In each instance, faith demanded greater than mere belief; it required motion that involved risk.
But why is risk so integral to faith? It is because risk strips away our illusions of control. When we take a risk for our faith, we acknowledge that we usually are not in command of the consequence and that we’re placing our trust entirely in God’s hands. This give up is the essence of religion – believing that God is each sovereign and good, even once we cannot see how every little thing will work out. True faith requires us to trust not in our own understanding, but in God’s wisdom and timing.
Risk in faith also cultivates spiritual growth. When we take steps of religion that involve risk, we’re stretched and challenged. We learn to rely upon God in deeper ways, and our relationship with Him grows stronger. Just as muscles grow stronger through resistance, our faith is strengthened once we step out in obedience despite the risks involved. Conversely, once we refuse to take risks, we may find ourselves stuck in spiritual complacency, our faith unchallenged and untested.
However, it is vital to recognise that the decision to risk isn’t a reckless or silly one. The risks we absorb faith are grounded in God’s guarantees and directed by His Spirit. We usually are not called to leap blindly, but to walk in obedience to God’s leading, even when it requires us to depart our comfort zones. The risk isn’t in whether God might be faithful, but in whether we’ll trust Him enough to obey.
What might risk seem like in your individual life? Perhaps it means having a difficult conversation with someone you care about, trusting God to present you the precise words. It might involve pursuing a calling that seems daunting, or leaving a job that gives security but lacks purpose. Risk could also involve standing up on your beliefs in an environment where you are feeling isolated, or moving to a recent place where God is leading you. For some, the danger may be as easy yet profound as sharing your faith with a neighbour or a colleague, not knowing how they are going to respond.
Risk in faith often means embracing uncertainty and discomfort, trusting that God will meet you in those places. It challenges us to let go of our need for control and to give up our plans to God’s greater purpose. This form of risk isn’t easy, nevertheless it is transformative. It refines our character, deepens our dependence on God, and broadens our understanding of His power and style.
Are we truly willing to take those steps of religion that stretch us beyond the familiar? Are we able to trust God enough to maneuver forward, even when the trail is unclear? The journey of religion is never without challenges, nevertheless it is in these challenges that we encounter God most profoundly. The query for every of us is whether or not we’ll reply to God’s call with hesitation or with boldness, trusting that He is each our guide and our strength.
In light of this, the decision to embrace risk for the sake of our faith can be a call to prayer. We need God’s courage to step out in faith when the trail ahead is uncertain. As we pray for courage, we’re asking God to empower us to trust Him more fully and to take the steps He is asking us to take, even when those steps involve risk.
Faith and risk are inseparable. If we’re unwilling to risk for our faith, then our faith may remain incomplete. Risk is the proving ground of religion, the place where our trust in God is tested and strengthened.
As we pray, allow us to ask for the wisdom to discern God’s leading and the boldness to follow wherever He calls us to go.
When we take risks for our faith, we declare our trust in a God who’s infinitely worthy of that trust.
