3 Things I’ve Learned Since Stepping Out On Faith

Christians hear a lot about stepping out on faith, something that all believers should do in some way. Of course, active faith looks different for everyone, and we never fully know what it will entail (if we did, then it wouldn’t be faith!).

The struggles of daily living can sometimes require just as much faith as a major, dramatic life change, and both types of faith can be great ways to serve God depending on where He has you at the time.

I’ve spent the larger portion of my Christian life living the first type of faith—the daily, ordinary kind from my familiar comfort zone. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you’re in God’s will. But sometimes we need something more to challenge us and help shake us out of complacency.

And recently I got just that when, after finishing school, I took a teaching job in another state where I believed God was calling me, leaving the town I had called home for over a decade. Granted, I’m only four hours away, close enough to visit and to know some people in my new area. Still, for a slightly sheltered, sometimes overcautious 20-something like me who has never really lived this far from home, this has been a big step and a huge adjustment—but also an exciting adventure!

Here are a few things I’ve learned since stepping out on faith into the unknown.

1. God provides in amazing ways.

They say that where God guides He provides, and after coming through a hectic and last-minute move, I can attest that it’s true. God has provided through this experience not only in the ordinary ways that I expected and prayed for, but in ways that I never could have anticipated.

For instance, I dodged a major bullet with an unreliable moving company that had been arranged for me. On the day I was supposed to move, the company kept postponing their arrival and eventually cancelled. But instead of panic at the change of plans, I felt a sense of readiness and God’s peace. It turned out that some friends were able to help me move at the last minute, and driving up with me was also a well-timed and much-needed chance to get away for them. I hadn’t even prayed for a different moving arrangement, because I didn’t know I needed one, but God worked it all out much better than I could have ever planned.

Secondly, for a number of reasons, I actually moved twice within a month. The first place I rented in my new city, while not terrible, wasn’t the best living situation for my needs. After a few weeks, I ended up moving into another place that I had wanted when I first moved but wasn’t able to get then. Now I’m living not only in a better place, but also with friendly Christian owners who I get along with well. It’s also a slightly cheaper room, which is a big financial help to me at this transitional stage of life. I think God knew when this room would be available and held me over somewhere else until just the right time.

Whether in big ways or small ones, through the help of friends and the kindness of strangers, God’s provision has amazed and blessed me at every turn, confirming that I’m going just where He wanted me to be.

2. Friends and fellowship aren’t hard to find.

When I moved away from my family, my home church, and my friends still in town, I wondered what my social life would be like in a new, unfamiliar environment. Of course, building relationships and connecting with new groups is an ongoing process that I’m still in the middle of, but it’s proving much easier than I might have guessed.

First, it helps that I’m teaching at a Christian school, where my bosses and coworkers are all very welcoming and supportive. Additionally, there are a few other young, new teachers in my age group, and I’ve been forming friendships with a couple of them so far.

Of course, it also benefits me that my move was relatively close to home, from central Virginia just over the border to southern Maryland. I have a few friends from college who live in my area now, and they (and their families) have been very friendly and helpful. Due to these connections, I’ve been able to visit no fewer than three churches and three small groups/Bible studies for my age group since I’ve been here. I’m still searching the area and figuring out which church or group(s) to begin calling home long term, but I know that I’ve got plenty of options when I look for them, and I won’t be alone in my new life journey.

3. Being in God’s will isn’t an automatic spiritual fix.

This was a tough one because we sometimes romanticize the idea of stepping out in faith. We think, Once I make this life change for God, everything will be great and I won’t have to worry or struggle anymore!

Sadly, I can say with certainty that it doesn’t work like that. Yes, I believe that coming here and taking this job was God’s will for me. But that doesn’t mean I get an automatic free spiritual pass for the whole year. Unfortunately, once the rush of a new adventure begins to fade and the realities of ordinary life start sinking back in again, it’s all too easy—even while on a new faith adventure—to get lazy or prideful or preoccupied and not make serving God my first priority. In some ways, I must admit that the consistency of my spiritual life isn’t much different now than it was a few months ago. This is because spiritual growth doesn’t happen overnight with a big, dramatic decision; rather, it comes from daily, consistent habits of ordinary obedience over time.

Whether in big ways or small ones, through the help of friends and the kindness of strangers, God’s provision has amazed and blessed me at every turn, confirming that I’m going just where He wanted me to be.

Like all of us, I’m still working on spiritual growth. Even after stepping out in faith, I still need to put forth the effort to spend time with God and focus my priorities on Him—just as much now as I did before moving, if not more so.

These are a few new things I’ve learned recently—and that I’m still learning each day. What might you discover from stepping out in faith?