As a Believer, I claim that Jesus is the Lord of my life. As a human, I act in a way that says otherwise.

Jesus is Lord of my life, but I want control over my finances. Jesus is Lord of my life, but I want to choose the college I attend. Jesus is Lord of my life, but I want to decide who I date and who I marry.

This is when the longing for security, comfort, or convenience becomes an issue. When we become willing to sacrifice God’s instructions or calling over our life simply to stay in our comfort zones, we have taken Jesus off the throne and replaced Him with a frail and temporary idol.

You see, control is an illusion. Even the most perfect, man-made plans can disappear in an instant. But plans that the Lord has set in motion cannot be destroyed by even the most powerful forces on earth. God’s plan for us is for so much more than mere comfort.

This reminds me of a song written and performed by Amanda Cook and Bethel Music called “You Make Me Brave”. It’s easy to become familiar with worship songs and lose sight of the words we are singing. But buried within this song is an overwhelming line:

“You call me out beyond the shore into your grace.”

Can we break this down for a second? When standing on the shore, though it may seem safest at the time, we are frantically grasping for control. But the sand beneath us shifts with every step. The beach floods and the grains blow away. Our perfectly made “castle” of a life washes away the moment another wave laps onto the beach.

When standing on the beach, we live a life of reaction.

God calls us to take a step beyond the shore, and past the things we believe we can control. If you’re like me, the mere thought of stepping into the water is terrifying. If I cannot control the shifting sand, why would I move even deeper into unpredictability? Friends, this fear comes from the devil.

We have bought the lie that we are at the mercy of the waves. But we are not at the mercy of the waves; we are at the mercy of the one who created the waves.

By sacrificing the illusion of our own control, we step into the complete and utter protection of the God who rules over all things. As a result, living a risky life in pursuit of God and His will is the safest place to be!

In contrast, even the most secure life, when lived outside of God’s plan, is far more dangerous than walking in step with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:13-15 reads, “If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Let us live crazy for Christ and Christ alone. Not for ourselves, control, security, or any worldly god. Let us live all-in, risky lives for Christ.

I don’t believe you’re reading this article by accident or coincidence. For me, publishing this article was risk.

Maybe the risk God is calling you to take is small. Maybe it means offering to pray for your barista and giving God control over your social status. Maybe it means beginning to tithe and giving the Lord control over your finances.

Maybe it’s big. Maybe it means sharing your faith with the one person you’ve always been afraid to. Maybe it’s quitting your job.

Whatever it is, take the step. God is calling you to act now, tomorrow, and for eternity. He is in already in control of it all.