Why Does God Ask So Much from Us?
I had an experience recently where I felt God wanted me to do something that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do or not. It seemed like it could be awkward and I could embarrass myself. Then, the perfect opportunity presented itself. Like the heavens opened (not really, lol) and it was clear to me that I needed to do the thing I felt like I was supposed to do. So, I did it. It surprisingly went very well; in fact, I felt very confident as I was doing it. And I was proud of myself for being obedient.
Until…
Two days later, everything changed.
Two days later, I became overwhelmed with panic about what I had done. I felt embarrassed and ashamed that I took the risk that I had taken. Why, Haley? Why do you have to do these things? Just stop. I felt haunted by thoughts of regret.
Have you ever had one of those times in life when you stress about something in every free moment that you have? When you can be busy, busy, busy, but the second things get silent the stress comes instantly pouring back into your mind. It takes no time to build up, it immediately feels intense and heavy.
This was one of those times.
I took a risk, did what I thought God wanted me to do, and ended up regretting it. I don’t enjoy these experiences. Actually, I hate them so much. I like the times of boldly obeying God and seeing his purpose and plan. But, the truth is, it doesn’t always go like that.
Sometimes, we do the very thing that we think God is asking us to do and it doesn’t feel great. It feels stressful and horrible.
Taking Adventure with God is full of taking risks. Today, we are going to look at why:
If you walk with God, He will no doubt ask you to do things that scare you. He will ask you to do things you don’t want to do, things that stress you out, and sometimes the thing that feels like your greatest fear. It is not if but when.
God asks all his followers to take risks.
There are many reasons for him to do this and I am quite certain I don’t know what all of them are, but I do know a few reasons.
First and foremost, this is the sign of a true follower of God. God’s children are the people who are willing to follow him even when it is risky. If I only say “yes” to him when it is easy and it doesn’t cost me anything what does that really say about me? It is in these places that I get to decide who really rules my life… God or my fear?
Second, sometimes it is not about us. Unfortunately, I can make all things about me. How does it make me feel? Make me look? It is so easy for me to filter everything through myself. Which is a horrible quality but something I have discovered to be true. There are times when I am convinced that God asked me to do things that have nothing to do with me. In fact, I am certain and hope that this is the case quite often. I want God to use me for others, I don’t want to have a relationship with God that everything must benefit me.
I want my relationship with God to be bigger than that.
And lastly, sometimes God asks us to do things that we aren’t comfortable doing because He knows us so well. He knows what we were created to do and what we are capable of doing. In fact, God knows things that He put inside of us that we have no idea are there. Not only that, He knows what struggles we have and what we still need to be healed of.
As far as my experience, about 3 weeks later, I had an epiphany that surprised me. I told Carter, my husband, I still did believe that God asked me to do what I did. However, if I could go back and not do it, I would, even if it truly was God, because of all the stress I had felt.
It was at this moment I realized; I still had a deep fear of being misunderstood by people. In fact, I discovered that in this case, I would choose to disobey God just so that I would not be misunderstood.
I don’t know all God’s purposes in this situation but when I heard myself admit this truth, I saw something in myself that I didn’t know was there.
God is so good to love me no matter what, but He also loves me enough not to let me stay stuck where I am. The last thing I want to do is live trapped by the opinions of others. God doesn’t want this either. This situation was such a wonderful gift to let me see the brokenness I still had within me and ask God to come in and heal it.
If we follow God, He will ask us to do things we don’t want to do. There are many reasons for this, sometimes it is to fulfill his plans and purposes and sometimes it is to heal us. No matter what the reason, I am here to encourage you to say “yes” when God asks you to do something no matter how much it scares you!
Don’t forget, the Earth is waiting for you to show up. 🌎 -Haley
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