I follow Lisa-Jo Baker (@lisajobaker) on Twitter. She was once the Gypsy Mama but redecorated her blog and is now Lisa-Jo. On Friday's she hosts Five Minute Fridays. Most week's I see the link in Twitter, glance at the word, and move on. Occasionally, when the word chosen starts writing about itself in my head, I join along. The rules are simple - write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.This week's word is Risk. Ahhh... this word got me thinking. So before I over think it, here are my 5 minutes this Friday.
Go.
Here's the thing about risk. It is really a feeling word. Not a thinking word.
I mean yes, jumping out of a plane could result in your death, or not. But is it a risk?
I don't think so. The jumping part that is.
I believe walking with God is safe. IS. I believe that is truth. Not that painful things won't happen. Not that I won't feel overwhelmed and destroyed at times. Not that I won't die if I jump out of an airplane. But I believe that I am safe because I am saved. I am saved from myself, saved from having to earn my way in life, saved from having to worry.
And because I am safe in God, life is not a risk. My life is not happen chance. It is not a series of tests. I am not being asked to step out into an unsafe lane of oncoming traffic, even if my emotions feel that way sometimes.
I guess that is what I am trying to say. I feel risk. I feel nervous when I step out and invite someone over to my home for coffee. I feel anxious when I agree to do something that scares me. I feel worry when I don't know how things are going to work out.
I feel risk. It is feeling. But it is not the truth. The truth is I am safe. Even jumping out of planes. Even if my parachute doesn't open. Because there is God.
Stop.
Okay so here is the problem with this activity. I feel a need to explain, to clean up my words. But I am a rules follower and I also am a strong believer that if I join in with someone else's game I need to play by their rules.
So I will walk away from this post and hope that someone gets it. I will fight against the feeling of risk in clicking publish and remind myself of the truth. I am safe.
Great post! And so true. Risk is a feeling. Living with the knowledge that you are safe makes feeling anxious or nervous when you do something out of your comfort zone easier to manage.
ReplyDeleteRisk is a "feeling word not a thinking word" - yes, wow, so exactly well put. I've never put it into words like that before. But it does help explain a lot. Glad you felt inspired today. Thanks for taking a risk and linking up :)
ReplyDelete~Lisa-Jo
Thanks Lisa-Jo for the visit. I love the words you choose each week. What a great writing activity - insightful when we don't edit ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI wrote earlier this week about feeling inadequate even when I know intellectually I am doing okay. The feelings can be hard but it helps to counteract them with the truth.
ReplyDeleteThis is so insightful Jen. The truth is, He has a good and marvelous plan for each of our lives. It's learning to trust and lean into Him that is sometimes the difficult part.
ReplyDeleteI loved this!
Thanks. I had no idea how encouraging these link ups can be. I am not known for trusting people, but for some reason God is easier for me to trust. Maybe it is all those years of practice. Not that I don't get scared sometimes but mostly I find peace in rolling with the waves.
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