I love the phrase, “Go BIG or go home,” except when I feel like my BIG isn’t nearly big enough to make any sort of significant impact. In which case, I retreat quietly without doing for one because I didn’t feel I could do for everyone. It begs the question, is it more important to be fair or to do good?

Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. Because if we all did for one what we wish we could do for everyone, it might just change the world. But no matter what it would change one person’s world. And it may even change your world and my world, too.  

I can’t think of one comfortable situation that has ever stretched my faith, can you? It’s been my experience that God tends to stir us out of comfortable situations in order to stretch us and cause us to use our faith. But none of us are exactly jumping up-and-down with our hands raised saying, “Pick me, pick me, I’m ready to get out of my comfort zone.” It sounds great in theory, right? Growing and stretching ourselves to new levels. Going further with God than we could ever go on our own. But in practice, it’s messy, filled with uncertainty, and plenty of plot twists and detours. The journey out of our comfort zone can feel a lot like a battle to fight or a storm to endure. In many cases, it involves being broken down in order to be built up. But on the other side of our comfort zone is the opportunity to live life more abundantly using our unique gifts.

I don’t know about you, but I want to live life to the fullest. And I never went to stop discovering God’s plans and purposes for my life. And I know you and I can’t do that staying comfortable. So that means we’re going to have to say “yes” to things we would have never dreamed of. And this will, in some cases, scare us right out of our minds. We’re going to have to let go of our deeply rooted desire to control and, instead, surrender and fully trust God. Instead of asking God a million questions, we must continue to search for and uncover the lessons He has for us. Rather than being consumed by apprehension about what’s next, we must trust in what we cannot see and keep going. God has already laid out the path forward for each of us. What’s the next step that you sense He is calling you to take? Will you allow him to push you forward? He wants you and I to know that there is something remarkable on the other side of our fears. But it will require us to use our faith.

Have you ever been so consumed by desiring what you don’t have that you actually spoil what you do have? I’ve definitely racked up enough experience going down this road to know that it doesn’t lead to a good place.  

It’s so important to pause long enough to recognize and appreciate that some of the things that you and I now have were once among the things we only hoped for. Counting our blessings each day and giving thanks to God for everything He has done for us is healthy. Consider the difficult situations He’s brought you through, the ways He’s changed you from the inside out, and the fact that He is with you every step of the way.  

There is joy and peace to be found when we take our minds off of ourselves and our circumstances and put our focus on God and loving others. Each of us have many things to be grateful for. That I am sure of. Starting our day by giving thanks helps us to experience joy right in the midst of our ordinary, everyday lives. Today is a new day. Let’s unwrap the gifts that today holds by focusing on gratitude.

When we share something repeatedly, we are trying to drive home the importance of what we are saying. And when someone tells us something more than once, we begin to sense that it must be pretty significant. Did you know that the command “do not fear” is written in the Bible 365 times? Wow! God didn’t want you and I to mess this one up. He knew we would struggle with worry and fear over situations and outcomes that we cannot control. He gave us as many reminders as there are days in the year to live each and every day being fearless. When we are afraid we feel fear and that fear fills us with apprehension. Fear starves faith and faith starves fear. We have to choose whether or not we are going to focus on our fears or our faith in God.  

You see, God wants us to know that He is with us. Fear sets in when we depend on ourselves, our own performance, and our own strength instead of asking God to fill us with courage, that enables us to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without fear.

This is one of my favorite verses about fear.

2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

God wants to help you and me overcome our fears so that we can continue to do whatever it is he is calling us to do. Power, love, and self-discipline are available to each of us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Our faith grows most when we rely on God and trust in what we cannot see. It’s uncomfortable, messy, and even inconvenient at times, but always worth it!

Never underestimate the power of a planted seed. We must continue to plant good seeds. Seeds of love, encouragement, compassion, kindness, and hope.

It’s important to keep in mind, though, that every day will not be a day of harvest. We can get incredibly impatient or discouraged when things don’t happen quickly or according to our own self-imposed time frames. But we must keep planting. It takes time for seeds to push through the ground and bear fruit. The same goes for us when we’re in the midst of bringing about change. We’re not always going to “see” it, but we must continue to “seed” it.  At times, it’s going to be in our best interest to stop and check on the types of seeds that are taking root, too. Not all seeds bear good fruit, right? Just like a gardener, we need to pull out the weeds on a regular basis. Certain types of seeds are never going to serve us well. Seeds like unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy, and resentment. We need to be careful because we don’t want these types of seeds finding a home in our hearts.  

This is my challenge to you and to me. I say “challenge” because, if you’re anything like me, it’s not always easy or comfortable to engage in this kind of self reflection. Take a moment to consider the types of seeds you’ve been planting? How would you rate the quality of those seeds? Have they been producing the fruit your heart desires. Or does your garden look like mine, in desperate need of some weeding? What seeds can you begin planting today for a better and brighter future?