How many times do you look at something you want to do but say no because you’re scared? This happens to a lot of people, myself included. My strength is my faith, which often gives me courage to start things even when I have no idea what the outcome will be. Faith has allowed me to do all kinds of things over the years, sometimes even with little money. But there are still moments that scare me—times when, for some reason, my faith just stops.
Imagine if you had the courage to say yes to anything. Imagine what you could accomplish if you said yes to God. Many times, we miss out on what God has planned for us simply because we don’t have the courage to say yes.
For years, my wife and I have known we’re meant to speak and share our story—about my 19 years of addiction and how God led me away from it, healing me almost 17 years ago. On December 26, 2007, I reached out to God, asking Him to take away my desires for those addictions. I promised Him that if He helped me, I would one day tell the world how He healed me. I didn’t know if He would heal me, but I had faith that He could, and I had the courage to take that first step.
Over the past few years, though, my courage has wavered. I’ve known we were supposed to speak, but I hadn’t taken any steps—until now. Now, we are finally stepping up and saying yes to God’s calling. This is why we’re launching the Inspired Marriage Podcast as part of our ministry. This is our yes.
So, I want to challenge you: find the courage to say yes to God on something He’s nudging you toward. Tell God yes right now, and then take that first step. Because until you have the courage to say yes, you’re never going to let God lead you to where He wants you to go.
Will this be scary? Absolutely. But it will be worth it. Will you know the end result? Probably not for a while. But by saying yes now, God can lead you where you need to be. You may even feel like you’re moving backward at first, but what seems like a demotion in the world’s eyes is often a promotion in God’s. Sometimes you have to take a step back so that God can move you forward.
I’ve seen people say yes to God, only to quit or change jobs because they felt His prompting. It seems illogical to the world. But years later, they’re further along in God’s purpose, happier than ever. When you fulfill God’s purpose, you’ll be filled with so much joy that money won’t matter. You can make less and still thrive.
I’ve watched people realize their calling in God and say no to extra overtime, using that time to focus on His purpose for their lives. Eventually, they’re able to say goodbye to their job and fully embrace His calling.
This doesn’t happen overnight. Many times, you’ll wonder how you’re going to make ends meet or question the direction God has you going. But if you keep the faith and follow His lead, you’ll one day find yourself in the right place at the right time. And it will be because God planned it—but you first had to have the courage to say yes.
Living a God-Inspired Life,
Chris Benton