Faith Steps

In the movie, “What About Bob?,” Bob’s psychiatric phobia treatment was all about taking baby steps. Baby steps to the door, baby steps to the stairs, baby steps outside, etc. It became quite ridiculous, especially when Bob baby-stepped himself right out to New Hampshire to his arrogant, Dr. Leo Marvin’s Lake Winnipesaukeehome and insinuated himself right into the middle of the doctor’s family!

But aren’t we all a bit like Bob? We become afraid to do something. We let fear take over our lives and before we know it, we can no longer function without chanting our mantra, “Baby steps…” However if we’re honest with ourselves, it isn’t about fear at all. It’s all about FAITH. When Jesus is the center of our lives, fear can’t be in the picture because Jesus is not about fear at all! Jesus is all about love.

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ~1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT (emphasis mine)

Pic ©123rf.com / Text ©shelleywilburn.org

God has such big plans for you, and those plans do not include fear. Nor do they include baby steps. Because in order to walk in faith, we have to take BIG STEPS! Have you ever heard the saying, “Take a leap of faith?” It’s like when your kids were small and you wanted them to jump to you off the edge of the swimming pool, promising to catch them. They were scared, but ultimately they jumped, trusting that you would be there to catch them… and you were.

Faith is the confidence that what he hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. ~Hebrews 11:1 NLT

There is something that God wants you to do, but right now you are uncertain. The enemy has planted fear inside you, keeping you from accomplishing your goal. I know this because I too, have suffered through it. But here’s a little advice from a high stepper, a jumper: Walk into it! Jump if you have to. Take that first step! It’s a doozy, but you’ll make it. Faith takes huge steps. And I promise, your Heavenly Daddy won’t let you fall. Because when you take that step, He will be right there to catch you and keep you going. You can’t fail! Why? Because if you step into what God has planned for you, it is His will for you so there is no failure. The only failure you can have is if you don’t step out.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith… Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ~Hebrews 12:2a, 3a NLT

Don’t be like Bob. Don’t be like Dr. Leo Marvin, either. Be like YOU. Be who God wants you to be. Don’t take baby steps to anything God sets out for you. Take Faith Steps. Then watch and see what happens!

Shelley Wilburn

Shelley Wilburn has been writing since the age of twelve. She loves stories and adventures, and often finds herself getting into mischief with any one of her six grandchildren. She has written several articles and devotionals over the years for various newspapers, women's magazines, and newsletters. She has also co-authored devotionals. Shelley began writing full-time in 2012 after being healed of over 40 years of depression and anxiety. Using her love of writing, and wearing mismatched socks, Shelley has developed a unique ministry of encouraging others using biblical truths and stories from her own personal life. When not writing, you can find Shelley and her husband of over 30 years, D.A. zipping down the road in their newest adventure-maker, a bright orange, Mustang convertible Shelley has laughingly dubbed The Pony.