Tiptoeing Through Life Just to Arrive at Death Safely
Why and How to take great risks
I’ve never seen myself as a big risk-taker. But when I step back and look at my life, I realize I’ve made choices that, from the outside, might seem risky—majoring in music, being self-employed, getting married, starting a family, buying a house. Yet none of those ever felt particularly risky to me. Why? Because I’ve always had confidence that, no matter what happened, I serve a good God who would be teaching me something worthwhile. Even if everything collapsed around me, I knew I wouldn’t be left without purpose.
But that raises an interesting question: if faith and risk are so closely connected, is it possible to live a relatively comfortable life and still be walking by faith? Or am I mistaking trust in God for simply avoiding situations that genuinely stretch me?
When I look at the lives of people who made the biggest impact—biblical figures, historical leaders, even those I admire today—I see a common theme. They weren’t reckless, but they also didn’t tiptoe. They stepped boldly into the unknown, took action despite uncertainty, and embraced discomfort as the price of living fully. And because of that, they experienced the power of God, the thrill of adventure, and the kind of deep fulfillment that comes with real faith.
I don’t want to arrive at the end of my life realizing I never really lived. I don’t want to stand before God and see all the opportunities I avoided because I was afraid of failure, discomfort, or uncertainty. So, this article isn’t just for you—it’s for me. It’s an invitation, maybe even a challenge, to stop playing it safe and start living with faith-driven boldness.
So, why do we avoid risk? What does faith-filled risk actually look like? And how do we start taking bold steps without being reckless? That’s what we’re getting into in todays edition of Wisdom Now: Why and How!
Why
… Staying in Your Comfort Zone Is More Dangerous Than Taking Risks
"Every Christian's life is marked by windows of opportunity' that demand that they take a radical step of faith in order to follow Christ and fulfill His agenda for their life." -Chip Ingram
Hot take: risk feels dangerous.
It threatens our sense of security, exposes us to failure, and invites uncertainty. It’s far easier to stick with what’s familiar—where the outcomes are predictable, the challenges are manageable, and the stakes feel low. But what if the real danger isn’t in stepping out into the unknown, but in never stepping out at all?
We like to think of the comfort zone as a place of safety, but in reality, it’s more like a slow suffocation. It may protect us from immediate discomfort, but over time, it robs us of growth, purpose, and even faith itself.
The Bible makes it clear that faith isn’t about staying where it’s comfortable—it’s about stepping out when the path ahead is uncertain. Abraham left his homeland without knowing where he was going. Moses returned to Egypt despite his fears. David fought a giant no one else dared to face. These weren’t reckless acts; they were faith-filled risks.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” And what is faith if not trusting God enough to move forward despite uncertainty? If our lives are designed to be built on faith, then avoiding risk isn’t just a neutral choice—it’s a direct obstacle to the kind of life God calls us to.
Real safety doesn’t come from familiarity; it comes from God. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the servant who buried his talent thought he was playing it safe, but in reality, he was wasting what had been entrusted to him. His fear of failure led to actual failure.
That’s the irony of the comfort zone: it feels secure, but it quietly drains us of potential. Instead of growing, we stagnate. Instead of deepening our faith, we settle for what we can control. And eventually, we realize that the life we were trying to protect has passed us by.
Tim Keller once said, “There is no failure, only learning. The only way to fail is to not learn and not grow.” If that’s true, then the real danger isn’t in taking a bold step—it’s in refusing to move at all.
Chip Ingram captures the stakes of risk-averse faith perfectly:
Where there is no Faith, there is no power.
Where there is no Faith, there is no joy.
Where there is no Faith, there is no intimacy with God.
Where there is no Faith, there are no supernatural miracles.
Where there is no Faith, there is no reward.
Where there is no Faith, it is impossible to please God.
Where there is no Faith, there is hollow religious activity, moralistic rules, and dead orthodoxy
How
… to Step Into the Risk of Faith
“Ok, this is all well and good, but what do I actually do about it? How do I actually begin to take those steps?”
-You
Thanks for asking such a great and well timed question!
1. Refocus Your Fear
Fear is natural when faced with uncertainty, but that doesn’t make it a bad thing. There’s a difference between healthy caution and the crippling fear that keeps us paralyzed. The key is to reframe fear—not as something to avoid, but as something to embrace. What if, instead of fearing failure, we feared not stepping out in faith? True faith is built on a willingness to face fear, not let it rule us. When fear happens, embrace it as an opportunity to prove and display your bravery. Fear is a sign that you’re doing something meaningful, and God is inviting you to step into greatness.
2. Rejuvenate Your Faith
Faith isn’t passive; it’s active. It’s a muscle that must be exercised and strengthened through small steps before we’re ready to tackle the bigger challenges. Start by taking the “little risks”—the small moments when God is asking you to step out of your comfort zone. Many Christians are familiar with the somewhat uncomfortable realization that God is prompting them to do something outside of their normal M.O. I encourage you to commit to prayerfully following through on these promptings. It will help you build up the courage and momentum to accept bigger risks when God calls you to. Don’t start making excuses or explanations in your mind of how that was really just your own random thought instead of a divine suggestion. As we begin to see God’s faithfulness in the small things, our faith grows stronger, and we are equipped to take bigger risks in the future. Faith isn’t about waiting for the big leap; it’s about saying yes to the next step.
3. Recall God’s Faithfulness
One of the most powerful ways to overcome fear and reignite our faith is by remembering what God has already done. Look back on past risks you’ve taken, whether big or small, and remember how God came through for you. Reflect on stories from the Bible where God made impossible things happen through people willing to take risks. Noah built an ark before the rain ever came. Sarah laughed at the idea of having a child in her old age, but she trusted God’s promise. When we recall God’s faithfulness, we begin to see that the risks of faith aren’t about trusting in our own ability to succeed, but about trusting in God’s ability to work through us. He’s never failed us before, and He won’t start now. Journals are essential in this regard—not only as a tool to process in the moment but also as a written history of God’s faithfulness.
4. Surround Yourself with Risk-Takers
Taking risks for God isn’t something we’re meant to do alone. In fact, surrounding ourselves with people who are also living by faith can be one of the greatest encouragements to step out. The early church was marked by believers who took radical risks together, and this community strengthened their individual courage. Find people who inspire you with their bold faith. When you’re unsure or afraid, lean on them for support and guidance.
5. Step Out with Obedience, Not Perfection
It’s easy to wait for the “perfect moment” to take a risk—the perfect job opportunity, the perfect timing, the perfect clarity of what God is calling you to do. But often, the call to take a step of faith comes with more questions than answers. Don’t wait until you’re certain; step out in obedience, trusting that God will guide you as you go. God rarely provides all the answers upfront, but He is always with us as we step forward in faith.
Reflection and Application
As always, I encourage you to take the step towards really applying these ideas to your life. Just reading an article and forgetting about it by the next day won’t really make a difference. So if you have the time and ability, get out your journal and work out some personal answers to these questions. At the very least, have a specific, solid answer in mind.
1. What’s one area of your life where you feel stuck in your comfort zone?
• What fears are keeping you there? Are those fears actually protecting you, or are they holding you back?
2. When was the last time you took a step of faith that felt risky?
• What happened as a result? How did you see God’s faithfulness in that situation?
3. Is there something you feel God has been prompting you to do, but you’ve been hesitating?
• What’s stopping you? What would it look like to take the first small step?
4. How do you typically respond to fear?
• Do you avoid it, push through it, or reframe it as an opportunity to grow in courage and faith?
5. If you could fully trust that God would be with you no matter what, what bold step would you take?
• What’s one thing you can do this week to move toward that step?
6. How do you document or reflect on God’s faithfulness in your life?
• If you don’t already journal, pray, or have another practice, what habit could you start to help you remember His past faithfulness?
7. Who in your life encourages you to take faith-filled risks?
• Do you have a community of people who challenge and inspire you in this area? If not, how can you seek out those relationships?
8. If you continue making choices based on comfort and safety, where will you be in five years?
• Does that align with who you believe God is calling you to be?
Ok, I’m done. Thanks for reading! If you made it this far, tag you’re it.
Sources:
In this article, I drew a lot from Chip Ingram’s message on the topic: