Be Adventurous in Following the Lord  

Recently we enjoyed a Caribbean cruise with one of our daughters and her family. During our trip the adults often used a phrase to encourage our grandchildren whenever they were hesitant to try a new or different experience. We reminded them to “be adventurous.” Although often preceded by some whining or outright refusals, they usually did well in eventually being willing to attempt something they weren’t sure they wanted to do. It resulted in our granddaughter gliding down the largest waterslide in North America, as well as holding a rather large live crab. They all tried some foods that were alien to their normal fare, often with mixed results as to whether or not they would eat it again. However, through one such adventurous dining experience, one of our grandsons discovered a new favorite food – asparagus.

If we would open our hearts and minds to it, I believe we would often hear the Lord encouraging us to be adventurous. It is all too easy to get comfortable in our routines and settled activities, even in our walk with Christ. We regularly feed on those favorite chapters of scripture, meditate on those familiar promises we have underlined in our Bibles, and listen only to the preachers and teachers we have sat under for decades. We rarely veer off from our normal pathway of serving the Lord or witnessing for Him. We have found good things that bless us, help us grow, suit our taste, and therefore we don’t often consider the possibility that there may be more the Lord wants us to experience.     

I am not suggesting change simply for the sake of change. Neither am I recommending that you neglect those tried-and-true means God uses to feed your soul or those areas in which He typically uses you to serve in His kingdom. Nevertheless, we need to be careful that we don’t get so settled in those activities that we aren’t willing to venture out in other areas when the Lord leads us to do so or opens a different door. Maybe we need to taste some other parts of the Bible from what we normally read. Maybe we need to expand our devotional time or add some new aspect to our prayer life. Maybe we need to tune in online to hear some additional good preaching or teaching. Maybe there are other avenues of service God wants us to explore or other ways He wants us to share our faith with others.

 Too often we are more committed to playing it safe rather than stepping out in faith to follow the Lord. If they hadn’t been willing to be adventurous, Abraham wouldn’t have left home to go to the land God promised to give him, Noah wouldn’t have built an ark, David wouldn’t have faced off with Goliath, Peter wouldn’t have walked out to Jesus on the water, and so many other opportunities would have been missed.

Let’s not miss out on what God has in store for us by refusing to consider anything that doesn’t fit in with what we are accustomed to. Jesus calls us to follow Him. Sometimes that will involve doing what we are familiar with and comfortable doing. Other times it will involve venturing out into unfamiliar territory, trying new things, stretching ourselves, and facing difficult challenges.

Be adventurous and you might find yourself experiencing even greater growth, joy, and blessing in your walk with the Lord. You might find even better ways God can use you in doing the work of His kingdom.

So don’t allow fear or the risk of discomfort hold you back when the Lord is leading you in the direction of something new and different. Hear His words of encouragement – “Be adventurous.”