Living without borders

Excerpt from blog post "Aren't You Afraid" at asiasmith.theworldrace.org

Being afraid is a part of who we are. All of us, yes e v e r y o n e, at some point will do something we are afraid of – and that truly is such a good thing. "Wait, what?!" I know, I know..hear me out. Good because these experiences teach us important lessons about being human and they teach us about our life with God. "So I am suppose to be afraid of these experiences?!"....h e a r   m e   o u t.

First, when we do things that we are afraid of we learn that courage is not the same thing as the absence of fear, but acting in spite of that fear. That is the definition of courage. Acting, even when you are afraid, is something we all have to do on our personal walk.

Second, after we do something that frightens us the first time, the second time is never as hard. The third time is even easier. And the fourth time, it’s pretty much a piece of Funfetti cake at the party! Like running suicides at basketball practice…. on second thought, this is the exception to the rule; suicides are never a piece of Funfetti cake.

All this brings us to the third thing we learn. Avoiding risky situations at all costs will never work. The problem with that is, no one has that much control over life, and these moments of risk are when we truly feel most alive.

Have you ever seen a kid go over a skateboard ramp for the first time? Or watched a game-winning jump shot beat the buzzer? You’ll find them screaming in celebration. Why? Because they feel so alive! Because they did it! When we try things that seem daunting, our lives actually become more full and vibrant.

How does all of this factor in together?

It is easy to get stuck attempting to integrate life with faith. One of the reasons I am learning that our life with God gets stagnant is because we stop taking Jesus’ invitation to live risky, courageous lives. We stop trying to do the things we’re called to because they seem too scary. Because they terrify us. We place ourselves in borders of comfort because it is safe, and it is easy. But are we challenged? Is our faith and our heart challenged? 

So I ask you this?

What have your fears restricted in your life? Lose the boundaries and escape the borders of comfort. Discover the faith, hope, and above all- love that exist when you Live Without Borders!