Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Risk

Risk, according to dictionary.com is the exposure to the chance of injury or loss.

Risk is one of the scariest things life throws our way. One of the most interesting things I have discovered about risk is that, most times, there is choice. Do we or don't we? That is why we call it risk. We are exposing ourselves to the possibility that we will lose something...what that "thing" is varies from moment to moment, from risk to risk.

Sometimes risk is medical. Certain procedures run the risk of complications, with certain medications come the risks of unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. Based on what we know we decide to accept or not accept based on the risks involved. In these cases we can see what might be the outcome of our actions, we have a picture (grey and muted and uncertain as it is) of what the consequences might be and decide accordingly. That is one of the wonderful things about medicine, there is a science to it. When we sit on one side of the teeter-toter, the other side will go up and we will go down...science.

What about human beings? What about the interpersonal risks we take every day? These are so much less exact and so much more stress and anxiety filled. What about those risks where we know clearly that the end result may not be in our favor? Human beings are not scientific, they/ we are not predictable, clear, precise. We are complex, mysteriously and wonderfully made. We can be mercurial, changeable, and inconsistent as much as we attempt to maintain a consistent and steady approach to life. So, since life is not science and we are not science...how do we know when to risk or what to risk or even how to risk?

We don't. This is the cool thing about God. He IS consistent, constant, predictable. No matter what risk we take, He is ever present and all knowing. He knows not only the issues we face, He knows how our risks will turn out! He has ordered our lives, loves us unconditionally, and knows what our futures hold. Sometimes the risks are exactly what He wants for us and sometimes they are lessons we need to face and learn from.

So, when should we risk? When the moment feels right and when we can no longer tolerate the emotional or physical consequences of waiting for the answer or the right decision.

What do we risk? I can tell you this. Never risk yourself! Be true to yourself. Always hold true to the you God created. Risking can only strengthen who you are and help you grow into the person God intended you to be. But...honestly? risking our feelings? Scary! And that gut wrenching anxiety that comes with risking our hearts can be debilitating but in reality, it can also be freeing! Knowing you can express your heart to another human being, risk being betrayed, risk looking foolish or unable...can be a freeing experience because, believe it or not, we live through it. We can express ourselves more freely the next time and each time we do, the words come more easily and any rejections we experiences are more easily accepted as God's will for our lives.

I have learned two amazing things about risk in the last months. First, risk is worth every moment of worry and anxiety. Even when the answers have not been what I wanted to hear I am better knowing even them so I can continue to grow into the person God wants me to be tomorrow. Second, when I know myself and am sure a situation calls for risk on my part, and when I give the results up to God, risk can bring peace. I don't know the answers, I don't know what will happen or how someone will respond but when I have risked my heart or gone out on a limb in an interpersonal sense, I find peace and contentment follows. I have given of myself, taken a step in a direction and allow God to use me, to intercede on my behalf, to work in a relationship...and the peace that follows far outweighs the uncertainty.

So please, risk. Live life to its fullest. Embrace each day, each relationships, each person as unique and requiring all the time and energy you have and expose yourself to the potential injuries and losses that all relationships with faulty human beings are rife with. God is there to support you through the risk, to pick you up after the hurt, to rejoice with you as you embrace new and thriving relationships. This is truly the only way to live in His grace and His secure embrace.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Julie! This is Christl Climans (used to be Bishop) I saw the link to your blog on FB. I just wanted to say that I used to get panic attacks very often when I was going through puberty, some times as many as once a day. No one understood it or knew what to do to help me, so I had to deal with it by myself, like you. You're right, it IS hard. The only thing that kept me alive through that time was prayer. God is our father and He holds us in His arms during these times.

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