Updated Edition
I think all major inventions and successes have been from people who thought outside the box. They ventured to go “where no other man has gone before” (sorry had to put that in there). But all clichés aside, to achieve a goal we will eventually have to step out of our comfort zones.
Look at our Biblical examples. Noah built an ark in a time when rain did not even exist yet. Abraham left his homeland to wander in the wilderness because God told him to. Moses had a speech impediment, and he ended up leading 600,000 men out of Egypt.
We cannot let our comfort zones box us in and trap us. We have to listen to what God is doing in our lives, focus on it, and if it requires us to go out on a limb, then we must trust that the limb will not break and just go out there.
However, I do feel that it is okay to “look” before you leap. I know that I have never had a Noah, Abraham, or Moses experience where the Father told me exactly what I needed to do. Therefore, we pray and maybe fast before we leap out of our comfort zones. This is to help us discern whether we are listening to His small voice and not our own selfish inner voice.
It is also smart to probably do some research but not over do it. The Messiah does teach us in Luke 14:28-30, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and wasn’t able to finish.’ ”
Therefore, we do need to learn the basics of what we are planning to do especially if there are legal matters and hurdles we may have to face. But, there is much research out there, and after a while, if we research too much it may stop us from ever leaping. Wise Solomon said it best “…be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:12).
There is an endless supply of information out there, especially with the internet and all the self-proclaimed “experts” in the world. Getting a basic idea of what we are planning to do when we step out of the box is wise, but it is not wise to try to figure it all out before we leap. We must trust, pray, and believe.
I have learned over many years that if you ask God to reveal His will for your life, be prepared for Him to make you leave your comfort zones. It isn’t easy, but with Him all things are possible (one reference Mark 10:27), and when we are weak He is strong (2 Corinthians 13:9). Hold fast to His truth, don’t fear the unknown, and don’t give up for you never know what blessings are just beyond the struggles.