We’ve said it before and we’ll said it again: CS Lewis was right when he commented that ‘seeds grow in dark places.’
While we might recoil from the hard times in life or back away from the smell of defeat, the truth is that it is in our failure that we find ourselves most readily accepting of God’s correction.
So, the pickle today is short and simple: are you taking risks? Do you inhale sharply at the thought of how drastically wrong things could all go on Sunday? Are you listening to God as you prepare, offering Him a truly blank sheet on which to script your duties?
Of course we’re not talking about risks for the sake of it, or risks that will bolster your ego and standing should you pull it off. We’re talking about the kind of risks that Abraham, Moses, Joshua and so many others took - the risk of standing up and saying ‘I think God’s leading us into something new. And it’s going to get messy…’
And if the answer’s no, then the next question is simple. Are you listening to God? Do you know where He’s leading you? Do you need to spend more time waiting, hearing and practicing taking those small steps that He’s guiding you on?
We all do, I guess. But let’s not let fear of embarrassment or criticism hold us back from risking things for God. Of course we’ll fail, but like Samuel Becket wrote, it’s OK: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”