Stepping Out In Faith

Hebrews 11: 1-3

1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.


The time had come for us to move on. I had been the Minister of Youth and Education at our church for three and one-half years. I had applied for both church and higher education positions. The church positions said they wanted more experience or more focus in either youth or education or wanted us to move to a geographical location we did not feel comfortable in. The higher educational institutions doubted my commitment to post-secondary schools. We prayed for one door to open.

I was accepted into a PhD program a year earlier but was unsure whether this was a viable option for someone with a family. Concerns about health insurance were relieved when I found I could continue my present insurance. Since this was the only option available, we decided to “step out in faith.”

I announced my resignation to our church family and we prayed to sell our house by ourselves. A week passed and we had no real offers. We began to get angry because we had specifically prayed for the house to sell within a week. That weekend: 1) a couple placed a very reasonable bid on our house; 2) we found a house for us to live in [after looking at SO MANY in a new metropolitan area]; and, 3) we were offered temporary positions at the university.

I wish this happens all the time but the truth is for us the same as it is for most of you: we struggle to know God’s will for our lives.....yet we cling to the historical memories of when we step out in faith.


A Faithful Response: Step out in faith believing you can do something – or, as someone also said, fake it till you make it.