"We're As Safe As God Wants Us To Be"

"We're as safe as God wants us to be."

I hate that saying. 

Deep down, that saying just irks me. 

Not because I don't trust His plan (though sometimes it is hard).

Not because I don't want to follow Him where He calls (though sometimes I feel like Jonah).

I hate it because not being "safe" is one of my fears, and this saying is so common that it makes my fear seem pitiful.

I love security. I love familiarity, and I hate risk, I hate danger. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. That's just one characteristic God gave me that makes me me.

But when people are constantly saying "we're only as safe as God wants us to be," it makes me feel invalid. It makes me feel like I'm not as faithful to the Lord as others are because the unknown and the dangerous unnerves me.

And that brings a whole new struggle in itself.

I am exactly who God made me to be.

I am exactly who God made me to be.

I am exactly who God made me to be.

I am exactly who God made me to be.
Psalm 139

There is not a thing wrong with me because danger scares me. I don't need to try to change myself because I'm not attracted to the unpredictable.

But I don't need to let my fears consume me, and I don't need to let my dislike for risk control where I follow His calling.

And I lived that out this past week, and honestly, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I'm not proud in the sense of "look at me, I went on a mission trip."

I'm proud of myself in the sense that I went into my uncomfortable zone and I did what I was supposed to do.

I had hard moments. I had break downs, but I never stopped or got frozen by my fear. And all glory to God for that.

In moments on the L when the smell of alcohol was prevalent or in the parks when large groups walked by, I cried out to God for strength and reassurance, and He granted it to me.

"I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies."

-Psalm 18:3 

So yes, "we are as safe as God wants us to be," but we are also exactly who He wants us to be, and when we realize what that means, He gets the glory.

Not in our state of safety.