What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
I remember being asked this question from a leadership conference. The speaker talked about being bold and battling self-doubt, and he closed his talk by asking that pesky question: What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
I began thinking about the things I would try, the books I would write, the people I would reach out to, the adventures I would go on. It didn’t take long to realize how much fear dictated my decisions. I think this is a great question that everyone should ask themselves periodically, but I have an even better question: What would you do if you believed that God was always with you?
In the Old Testament there is a story about a man named Joseph. Despite the situations that Joseph found himself in, we are told that God was with him. You have to wonder — what gave Joseph the confidence and resolve during these difficult times? In short, God was with Joseph.
When In a pit, God was with Joseph. When in a foreign land all by himself, Joseph wasn’t by himself. When locked up in prison chained to a wall, Joseph wasn’t alone.
So let me ask you the question: What would you do if you believed that God was always with you? Would you have that conversation? Would you take that risk, step out in faith, start a new career or possibly move in the direction that you know God is calling you?
It may feel like you are all alone, but the promises of scripture are true that God does not leave his children. As the Israelites were led through the desert, scripture tells us there was a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. God was always there. You may not have a cloud by day or fire by night, but what you do have is so much greater. The book of Acts tells us that we have the literal spirit of God living in us, prompting us daily.
Don’t believe me? Have you ever felt the urge to say something or do something? That isn’t just your conscience or a bad meal, that is literally the Holy Spirit guiding you in the direction you will go. So, I started this thing several months ago that whenever I think of someone I reach out to them. I believe that God is active and moving in my life, and when he has an assignment for me, I am going to listen. I am confident that God is with me and communicates with his children.
God was with Joseph, and God is with us. No matter what we do or where we go, God is with us! No debate or discussion, the only thing left to determine is this: What you are going to do because God is with you?