I used to think of risk as a bad thing. Something to be avoided, if I was smart — and I certainly considered myself to be smart.
And then I realized there were things I wanted to accomplish, dreams I wanted to pursue … and they were just beyond my grasp. I had to push myself, I had to reach farther, so much so that I felt off balance … as if I might fall flat on my face. I might fail.
But the pursuit of the dream was worth the risk. There was no going back to being safe.
I’m in a place right now where I feel as if I’ve put it all on the line in some ways … living the dream, yes, but doing the hard work that the dream demands. And right now life is more hard work then daydreaming.
Reality is, there’s no going back now. I’ve said yes — opened my arms and my heart wide to this dream. I’ve made a commitment to it.
Risky business? Oh yes, yes, it is. But I’ve found there’s no turning back once you’ve exchanged safety for living life — real and risky.
In Your Words: When have you chosen risk over safety — and found the life, the dream, you longed for?
[Tweet “When Has Risk Been Worth It? #lifequotes “] [Tweet “RISK: When there’s no going back to safety #lifequotes”]
Comments 11
Una salus victus nullam sperare salutem.
We’re all doomed, in a temporal, and while it’s tempting to try to ‘save up safety’ in a sort of karmic account by avoiding risk…life doesn’t work that way. If you’re gonna get stomped, you’re gonna get stomped.
However.
I have learned, first through training and then through fearful experience, that the best way to survive an ambush (the kind that uses machine guns,not the conference-room kind) is to do the unthinkable – to remain standing, and charge the gun line.
Hit the ground, and you lose both mobility and initiative, and will shortly be gobbled up.
Try to run, and you’ll soon learn you can’t outrun a bullet.
But it you throw yourself into Jesus’ arms and attack, you gain the initiative, coupled with the element of surprise (and you totally screw up the bad guys’ sight picture). If you’re both good and lucky they’ll break contact and vanish.
If you’re both good and REALLY lucky they’ll get so flustered that they start shooting up their own line, and you can watch the fratricide.
As for the conference-room ambush, the best response is faith and humor. Fragging the boss is generally frowned upon, and it’s not necessary. Jesus will take care of that ‘um, in His time.
I’ll wrap up by quoting Bilbo Baggins…”It’s a dangerous business, stepping out your door. You never know where you may be swept off to.”
Life is risk, and safety is found when we stride, or rell, or stumble, or crawl across the finish line, and are swept up in Jesus’ arms. Nowhere else.
Author
Love the Bilbo Baggins’s quote. So true that it is dangerous business stepping out our doors, but oh what we miss when we stay inside all day.
Just be sure to pack the asbestos long johns when visiting with Smaug.
” living the dream, yes, but doing the hard work that the dream demands. And right now life is more hard work then daydreaming.” LOVE this. It’s a risk full of hard work, but so worth the exchange. It keeps us on our toes and grasping God’s hand so that it’s none of us and all of him. Great post, Beth!
Author
Thanks for reminding us to grasp God’s hand — we don’t embark on this risky business alone.
This beautiful quote I had not heard says so much in so few words, and so does your post. Impacting.
For me this is most true in relationships. I remember meeting someone skiing who said he’d come visit. I wasn’t sure he would. He drove 400 miles and rang the doorbell. I hesitated, knowing if I answered the door, it would change my life–not entirely sure. All did not turn out as we hoped, but I cherish my 2 sons and grandchildren.
Author
Ah, Dee: You are so right about how our lives are changed when we literally/figuratively open the door and invite someone in to our lives. It doesn’t always end as we hope … but we are not always the one making that choice.
Love this, Beth. I lived a lot of life trying to control rather than taking risks. But, it’s taking risks that allow me to fully live, experience life, lean harder on God. When I had what I thought was control, life was busy, but not as satisfying.
Stepping out to write a book has been a big risks. There have been disappointments, setbacks, but there’s also been joy, and growth in who I am and how I perceive the world around me. I wouldn’t trade it.
Author
Yees! Risk means forward motion and setbacks — and setbacks don’t mean failure — they just mean try again.
Oh, Beth, this is a beautiful, inspiring, hopeful, “I want to be where you are” post. Thanks for writing it.
Author
🙂