Don’t Play It Safe
Facing Transitions As A Young Adult
Safety First
I am a “think first, act later” kind of person. I make lists, shop around, and sleep on it before making big decisions. I wear a seatbelt, use SPF 100 sunscreen (believe me, I need it), and I always listen to the safety demonstration before the plane takes off.
I’m one of the least reckless people you’ll ever meet. Maybe it’s because I was born in 1991, and I’m a card-carrying member of the “Stranger Danger,” “Safety First,” “Stop, Drop, and Roll” generation. All of us 90s kids should probably form a support group just to discuss all the crazy, safety-related school assemblies we were forced to attend!
I’m all for exercising wisdom when it comes to danger and decision-making. But I’m afraid we’ve crossed the fine line between being smart and playing it safe. And I suspect we’re missing out on some of God’s very best plans for us, all in the name of safety.
A Hedge of Protection
Have you ever been in a prayer circle before a trip, and someone in the circle asked God to put “a hedge of protection” around your group?
What does that even mean? I’ve heard people say it, and I’ve probably even requested it a time or two. But what are we actually asking God to do? What is the function of this supernatural hedge… and why not a fence, instead? I suspect this phrase is a veiled request to arrive safely at our destination, stay safe the whole time we’re there, then get back home safely to sleep in our safe, warm beds.
When did safety become a top Christian priority?
While I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when the problem began, I can promise you it isn’t new. Fear of change has been causing problems for God’s people for centuries.
Wilderness Wandering
In Numbers 13, Moses sends twelve spies to scope out the Promised Land. They reported that the land was amazing and flowing with milk and honey, but the cities were fiercely fortified with residents that seemed like giants.
God promised to give the land into the Israelites’ hands, but the fear of those ten spies spread like a virus through the Israelite camp. They decided it was safer to stay where they were. Life in the wilderness wasn’t so bad, was it? They had manna to eat every morning. Their little plot of land was predictable and comfortable. So they stayed, and an entire generation missed out on God’s best.
It’s easy to scoff at those foolish Israelites. They’d seen God do miracle after miracle with their own eyes, but they chose fear over faith every time they came to a new challenge.
Ha! What losers!
Unfortunately, I have a lot in common with those Israelites. Instead of rushing to pack my bags, I would’ve hunkered down in my safe little tent and argued, “This wilderness life isn’t so bad. Maybe we can just stay here.”
Fear Factor
God often calls us to give up what is good in order to have what is best. He calls us to leave behind our safe, familiar lives and set out into the unknown. Yet we let fear hold us back from God’s best every single day. Fear of failure keeps us from speaking up, applying for that new job, or taking a chance. Fear of change keeps us trapped in mediocrity. After all, change might require you to move to a new city, make new friends, learn new skills… and what if I hate it? What if THEY hate ME? What if I get fired?? I’m exhausted just thinking about it!
But this isn’t the way God created us to live. He has so much more in store for us, if we will trust Him enough to put our lives in His hands!
Into the Unknown
40 years after the Israelites said “no” to God’s best, He spoke to Joshua and told him it was time for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. Joshua was one of the original twelve spies. He’d seen the fortified cities and the fierce warriors. But Joshua knew an important truth that changed everything: “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31b, NLT). Under Joshua’s leadership, God gave the land into Israel’s hands, just as He promised. His encouragement to Joshua is an encouragement to all people standing on the edge of the unknown:
Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
We learn from Joshua that obedience is the road to success. And not success as the world labels it, with six-figure incomes, the perfect body, or legions of followers on social media. Obedience leads to the kind of success that makes a mark on eternity. It means living our lives with heaven in mind, using the gifts and time God has given us to bring His Kingdom to earth here and now.
The key to thriving in transition is to keep God’s Word in front of you and let HIS voice drown out all the other voices around you. When you commit to living God’s way, you are guaranteed to stand out among the crowd. In fact, you will shine like a bright light in a world full of selfish, crooked people (Philippians 2:15).
Strong and Courageous
Look back at Joshua 1:6-9. Did you catch the repeating phrase in God’s instructions for Joshua? Three times, God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. If Joshua was already feeling very strong and courageous, why would God have commanded it three times?
God’s command for Joshua is a command for all His children. Whatever you’re facing, and however uncertain the days ahead may seem, be strong and courageous! You don’t walk into any battle alone. You can stare down your fiercest challenges with faith in the God who goes before you.
2 Cool 2 B 4gotten
When I was in grade school, Yearbook Day was serious business. I would crack it open, uncap my glitter gel pen, and start passing it around for all my classmates to sign. But among all the cringe-worthy sayings like “LYLAS” and “BFFs 4Eva,” the most cliché yearbook phrase of all time has to be, “Don’t ever change!” At twelve years old, that sounded so sweet. How great to know that I’m perfect just the way I am!
But at some point, a lack of change stops being cute and starts being sad. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back. When God calls you into a new season, you can follow Him boldly into it. Imagine all the incredible things Joshua would’ve missed out on if he allowed fear to keep him from crossing that river.
When fear whispers in your ear, remember that God is unfailingly faithful. Be courageous! Chase after Him with your whole heart. And one day, you’ll be able to stand on the other side of the Jordan River and look back on how far He brought you.
Lauren Oliver
Children’s Curriculum Developer
