Stepping off the Edge
by Mike Killebrew
I consider myself exceedingly privileged to have served for three summers at a wonderful ministry located in southern Missouri as a summer intern during my college years. Discovery Ministries is in the heart of the Ozark National Scenic Riverway. Its location is best described as where the Jacks Fork River meets the Current River, in Eminence, MO. If you have not been to DM, I urge you to check them out for your next retreat destination, student ministry trip or if you’re brave enough, I dare you to put together a wilderness challenge trip! DM is a ministry that utilizes the outdoors as God’s classroom, intentionally creating challenging activities for groups, taking people completely out of their comfort zone to create spiritual awakening and growth. I’ve been there with groups just about every year since college and I deeply love this place and relish the many ways God has grown me through experiences at this ministry.
One of the frequent activities in the rugged Missouri backcountry that I would help facilitate was rock climbing and rappelling. I have likely instructed 500+ people into stepping backwards on rappel, over the edge of 60-80’ bluffs. While doing this, I found myself repeating phrases like, “trust the rope,” “the first step is the hardest,” and “may I pray for you so that the Lord will help you find the courage to continue?” Frequently, it only took a couple minutes to safely fasten them onto a belay line and verbally encourage them into taking those first steps over the edge. Other times I would spend over an hour or more with someone agonizing over the decision to back off that which was comfortable, known, safe, and secure. There was often a clear option of walking down an easy trail and then there was the hard way: stepping backwards over an edge of unknown, sliding down a climbing rope. In those moments, and rightfully so, there were often tears and many other tangible expressions of struggle. For some, the fear of heights (which is a very healthy fear) would become nearly insurmountable until there was trust or faith in action. Almost everyone would eventually conquer the fear and step off the edge, trusting the rope and the other pieces of climbing gear. They trusted not only the gear but also the expertise of myself and the other facilitators. Often, after that first step over the edge, I witnessed fear turn into trust, sometimes even creating a euphoric experience for the participant! We would often see them returning up the trail to the top of the cliff asking, “can I do it again!?” It was exciting to participate in some major celebrations as a fear or obstacle was overcome with surrender and trust in something other than oneself!
There was always an intentional time of debriefing. I enjoyed these moments because all too often we have experiences in life that we don’t learn from, simply because we don’t take time to process it. At DM, after an experience, we’d always let the participants share what could be learned and then applied to their life. After a climbing and repelling experience, there were always parallels drawn between “trusting the rope” and trusting God. Trusting God with the first step is the hardest, but once we do so and practice regularly it becomes euphoric. When we experience the joy of trusting in God, there is nothing in life that can compare!
Faith is taking God at his word and then acting because of his promises. Stronger faith may include stepping off the edge of comfort and security and facing some fears. Facing danger, insecurities, opposition or the challenges and uncertainty of life is comparable to stepping off the edge of a cliff. I believe that often after the first steps of faith we start to experience fearlessness, calmness, and resolve because God is true to His Word and will do what He says He will do.
I recently heard someone say, “Courage is not an absence of fear but rather the presence of God.” As we grow stronger faith in God we also grow in courage; faith takes precedence over our fears. The stronger we grow in the reality of the presence and strength of God the more exciting and stronger our faith becomes.
So, what does it look like to grow stronger in our faith? What action can we take to strengthen our faith muscles?
Identify areas of weakness in our faith. Ask, “where do I need to grow in my trust of Jesus?” In Luke 17, the Twelve made a statement to Jesus but it was really a request: “Increase our faith” (verse 5). We should ask Him the same.
Do hard things! Our biggest areas of weakness are only going to grow stronger when we use those muscles. The first step is the hardest but like with the human body, when we do hard things, we get stronger.
Embrace discomfort and uncertainty. These are moments when we grow our faith muscles the most. In an era of comfort and convenience, perhaps you need to say “yes” to something that may produce discomfort or feel uncertain. View these moments as confirmation that God is calling you to it, because frequently when He calls us to something it is not the easy path.
Growing stronger in our faith is not a passive journey but an active pursuit. It requires us to identify areas of weakness, do hard things, and embrace discomfort and uncertainty. Just as rock climbing and rappelling at Discovery Ministries challenged participants to trust the rope and experience the joy of trusting God, our faith grows when we step out in obedience and trust in His promises.
Our faith muscles grow and become stronger when we take God’s commands seriously and put them into practice. Take a close look at Joshua 1:9. For years when I read this passage, all I heard was God commanding Joshua to be strong and courageous. However, look more closely at the punctuation (particularly in the NIV translation). There are two separate sentences or statements here. The more accurate way to understand this passage is not that God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, rather, he has already commanded Joshua – therefore he has reason to be strong and courageous. God had already commanded Joshua in verse 2, “cross the Jordan into the land I am about to give.” When God commands and directs our path then we can be confident, bold, and courageous, because the whole of the Bible attests to the fact that what God says, He will do!
Trusting God and taking that first step is often the hardest, but as we continue to step out in faith, we witness fear transforming into trust and experience the euphoria of relying on God's faithfulness. As we grow stronger in our faith, we also grow in courage, knowing that God's presence is with us, empowering us to face any challenge that comes our way.
So, let’s embark on a journey of stronger faith, seeking to strengthen our trust in Jesus, doing hard things, and embracing discomfort and uncertainty. As we do so, we will experience the transformative power of God in our lives and find that there is nothing more fulfilling than living a life fully surrendered to Him.
