Stepping Out on a Limb

I am a thinker. I do not like to make hasty decisions. I enjoy examining situations with a magnifying glass, looking for impending problems and valid alternatives. Eventually, I will make a decision, but often after picking apart every possible issue and scenario.

Recently, I had an important decision to make.

I was attending a meeting, a few months ago, where a local pastor mentioned he was hosting a trip to Israel in December. For many years, I have dreamed of visiting the Holy Land, but I didn’t believe I would have the opportunity until my children were grown and living on their own.

I felt a nudge in my heart, so I asked the pastor to send me some information about the trip.

I read through the travel details and talked with my husband, Chris, about going. Chris believed I was supposed to take the trip, but I was hesitant after looking over our finances.

It felt selfish to take a large amount of money out of our family bank account. If this was a missions trip where I was feeding starving children or rebuilding an impoverished village, I could justify spending so much money. This was not that type of trip.

I was ready to forget the idea. I prayed to God, earnestly asking him to take the desire from my heart if it was not my time to go.

A few weeks passed, but I couldn’t stop thinking about going to Israel.

I prayed some more and looked at every reason why I shouldn’t go. I agonized over my motives for wanting to take the trip. Was I going because God was sending me, or was I heading there because I had always wanted to visit Israel?

If God is sending me, I want to know why he is sending me there, and not just have a vague sense that God has a mission waiting for me. I didn’t get a clear answer.

I took a couple steps of faith by sending in the deposit and asking friends for financial support. All the while, I kept listening for God to say, “no,” but he didn’t.

Last week, I turned in the rest of my money toward the trip to Israel. I did receive some support from two friends, but nowhere close to the trip’s cost. The rest came out of our family budget, and it was a huge leap of faith to write that check.

Sometimes, God supplies for our needs and wants through his miraculous provision, our circumstances fall magically into alignment, and God’s intended path is obvious. The road feels smooth and effortless.

At other times, he gives us the glimpse of a promise or an internal nudge to move forward, without seeing the full picture. We don’t know when and how he will intervene, and we may not feel safe.

God draws us out of our comfort zones because he wants to build our faith and character. He doesn’t promise us an easy road, although some Christians claim otherwise. Instead, he promises to be with us, whether we climb onto risky tree limbs or walk down paths showered with favor.

I finally felt his “yes” after I sent in my faith-inspired check and announced my final decision on Facebook.

I am going to Israel. I know in my heart, I am on a mission. What is the mission? I will find out when I get there.