I think people who jump out of planes for the fun of it are CRAZY! Why do they do it? They must get enjoyment out of it somehow.
But what if you didn’t want to parachute and someone made or pushed you out of the airplane? YIKES!
Panic, consuming fear, and utter desperation grip you as you fumble to find that parachute-opening cord!
We all have times in our lives when we feel like our feet are planted in mid air—totally helpless and desperate to regain control.
I believe God allows these hopeless situations because He wants us desperate for Him. He wants us to know we cannot do life on our own without Him. Jesus said in Matthew 5:3…
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The phrase poor in spirit means totally incapable of doing anything; in desperate need of deliverance outside of ourselves. Without a rescuer we would literally perish.
Now let me ask you a mind-blowing question.
Is it possible to be desperate WITHOUT consuming fear?
YES, it is indeed possible—with God!
Now I am not saying that there is no fear at all. But that the fear we have won’t be so debilitating—one preventing a step (or leap) of faith.
Courage is not the absence of fear but acting despite the presence of fear.
Surely there is some fear present in those people who willingly jump out of an airplane at 12,000+ feet above ground. But the thrill must be worth it to them; the reward greater than the risk of their parachute not opening. They have confidence (=trust) that the parachute is in working condition, was packed correctly, and a host of many other unknown factors. They wouldn’t jump without believing that their parachute will open.
Wouldn’t it be great to have that kind of faith in God?
We can! By giving us jumping-out-of-airplane opportunities God is developing a faith in us that will overcome our fears.
So imagine with me, how exciting it would be to see what God might do through our obedience. If we believe it’s worth the risk, we will step out into the wild blue unknown, even though we’re still shaking a bit (or a LOT). It’s thrilling to think that God will produce glorious eternal fruit for His Kingdom through little “nobodies” like you and me!
Our risk is minimal compared to a skydiver. God is 100% reliable. Yes, there are unknowns for us—but not for our omniscient in-control Creator.
Right now I feel like God is asking me to jump out of an airplane—again. So I am trying to take this leap of faith into the unknown without panicking, screaming, or even complaining. I am trying to relax and enjoy the freefall.
When I find myself in moments of flailing, I can remember and exclaim, “Wait! God’s got me!” Then as I relax and trust, I’ll find that it is actually fun—even exhilarating!
Living a life of faith is a progression. God often has us take baby steps first to demonstrate He is faithful. Then He moves us to take larger and more difficult steps to increase our faith; to grow that mustard-size seed of faith into a large tree. Sometimes He even forces us into situations—pushes us out of the plane without a parachute, so to speak—where we feel totally helpless in order to teach us how to solely depend upon Him.
So my friend, the next time you feel like you’re free-falling in life:
Choose to trust God. Enjoy the ride. And your desperation will be replaced with a deep sense of knowing that God is holding you in the freefall! It will be worth it!
Watch Royal Tailor’s video: FREEFALL
Next week: “What’s the Difference between Belief, Faith, and Trust?
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV. ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.