I've been in bible school for the last six months and loving it. This bible school is distinctive in that it's primary focus is teaching us to flow in the supernatural gifts of God, such as those outlined in 1 Cor 12. Like all things that require repetition to learn, skill comes from practice. The gifts are no different but it takes both practice and faith to walk in them. Not only that, you have to embrace the idea that faith is often spelled R-I-S-K. Risk is often the prerequisite for success. The same is true in many areas of life, an investment that exploded or a relationship that blossomed first required risk. The greater the risk the greater the reward and so a confrontation with risk became the highlight of my trip.
I need to back track for a moment. A few days after arriving my dear friend Scott invited me to speak for five minutes at a Sunday evening prayer meeting. After the meeting another friend, very seasoned in the Lord said, "I hear the Lord say, if you continue in humility, fervency and love. He will open a door for you to minister to youth." Not something I'd done much before but I realize the incredible potential in developing young people.
Fast forward to a few days before the end of the trip and someone who had been reading my Facebook posts suggested to the youth pastor of her kids that I minister to their youth group at one of the larger ministries in town. Now adults I get, when I say something, I know the internal response those words are going to create. Youth, I have no idea, they scare the kajoobies out of me. If you know what a kajoobie is let me know because I just lost all mine.
So with significant trepidation I prepared for the message. While writing down my thoughts I heard the name Melissa and saw a picture of the Lord picking up a gem and placing it in the crown of our Savior. I've seen people at my school, call out a name and then give a word from the Lord but I'd never done that. So this is a new level of risk for me. Before the meeting I was tempted to ask some friends in the group, "Is there a Melissa in youth group?" but I resisted and went on to preach.
I was telling the youth how natural it is to flow with the Holy Spirit. It's easy to talk to a friend, He wants to be our friend; build a relationship with Him and it's easy and quick to talk to Him. It's natural to respond to His voice but it requires risk. You have to be prepared to fail, without that willingness, nothing is going to happen. So I said "Let's try it right now. Is there a Melissa in the room?" Waiting, waiting, waiting... "Nope! See how simple that was, I tried and failed. I really believe the Lord wanted you to see someone fail and know it's OK. It's like falling upwards, you go, you try, you fail and you learn." It was so much fun to be a real life example of attempt and failure because it took the pressure of performance away. It gave them the freedom to say "If he tried, failed and laughed. I can do the same."
Of course everyone and myself was delighted when Melissa walked in the room ten minutes later! I told her she was a hand picked gem, and to seek out others to place in His crown. The neat thing for one of the youth was he had watched that word being given in a dream two nights before!
Break out of your comfort zone into a new level of risk. Failure stinks but it's much better to tear through the thin veil of risk that separates you from the things you desire, because once you try the next time only gets easier.
