Ephesians 4:15 tells us that “we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”

Boy, as Christians, we love to play it safe, don’t we? It comes as no surprise, as many of us are conservative by our very nature, we are taught not to flaunt, not to be brash, or not to offend. Yet, that same conservatism or cautiousness can creep over into our spiritual walk with Jesus and hold us back from stepping out in faith, which is really how we “grow up in Christ.”

Recently, at my Alma Mater, Liberty University, I was at a pastor’s conference and talking with one of the father’s of modern church planting…who had planted a church some 40 years ago. His greatest concern for the next generation is that we are so comfortable that we don’t know what stepping out in faith is really like. His wisdom really struck me.

How many times have you, as a Christ-follower, been nudged by the Spirit to do something, to reach out, to say something and you have squelched that nudge? I certainly have and I can tell you the moments with specifics, because I feel badly about them to this day.

The prophets, Jesus, the Apostles, never played it safe. They lived by faith, they took risks, and they reaped the rewards of a faith-driven life that gave God room to do so much more than they could imagine. As we survey so many who have done great things for Christ there is one common characteristic above any other, they lived by faith.

Lord give me courage to depend on you, help me to live a life defined by faith!