Letting Go

Today I took a step of faith. I decided facing my fears, and realizing my hope of something more was more valuable than temporary comfort. Someone once told me faith is like a muscle. You have to exercise it. The first time it may be painful, hard, and strenuous. However, with consistent dedication exercising your body or your faith becomes easier. It becomes routine.

A beautiful and lively girl I knew had never dated in her 23 year young life. She is not me, but I can relate to her as you will soon see. She had never experienced any social situation involving the opposite sex except the members of her family. At the time we spoke, she found herself at a crossroad. Soon, she would be in a new city far from family and close friends to begin a new chapter in her life. She expressed her deep desire to finally be open to the possibility of meeting a friend if nothing more, but her utter inexperience in this arena left her feeling frozen in place.

In order to get what she really wanted, it would require being uncomfortable for some time at first. She would have to have a new sense of faith in herself. The faith that she could do it, that she would be successful, and that God had someone special in mind just for her ( she did want to get married one day after all). Being a 40-year-old virgin spinster was an alternative, but not one of the attractive variety. So, I told her to take a chance. Have faith. I should've been telling myself the same thing. The Bible says "Faith without works is dead". Without movement, there can be no change. She (and I) had to make a move.

Her story may seem like not a big deal to some of us who have had experience in the dating game, talking to the opposite sex just comes naturally. Still, I can't help but to sympathize as I find myself of the edge of a similar precipice. I'm not turning back, and I won't remain stagnant, I'm ready to make a move forward.

A favorite teacher of mine loves to use the phrase "Do it afraid!". Psalms 32 says that God has a plan to guide you along the best pathway for your life and that his unfailing love surrounds you. Feeling unsure is natural, but I am not going to let my uncertainty paralyze me or keep me in a place of discontent. Why should I? I don't have to have all the answers, God does.

I remember a time when I was so devastated, I didn't think I'd ever make it to this point. For anyone feeling that way today, take heart. Psalm 34 states "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed". I found this scripture on a whim, looking for a little solace before I finished writing this post. It's instantly become one of my favorites because of its undeniable truth. I know because God did it for me one night back in September just last year. But that's another story.