“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

I have realized over the past few months that I don’t think there is such thing as blind faith. The whole idea is an oxymoron: faith is confidence and assurance while blindness is uncertainty and doubt. Some might say that blind faith refers to the idea that we believe in things we cannot see, but I think there ought to be an important distinction for the term blind faith has led many to making stupid decisions in the name of God. I refer to the idea of leaping out in faith.

To leap out in faith is a very misunderstood concept. Often, we thing of it as having no idea about what will happen, how to get there, or why we are going, but we go anyway expecting God to be faithfully following along behind us. Right there is, perhaps, the key, God following us. I’ve never known God to be one for following others. I believe that scripture always touts is kingly nature and his headship over everything. So why would we think He is willing to go along with one of our plans, especially when He has one of His own, and it’s perfect.

Now this is not to say that leaps of faith don’t happen. To see them in action, you only need to look at the story of Abraham. He makes leaps of faith constantly: leaving his homeland, awaiting a child from Sarah, attempting to sacrifice said child. He does these things without knowing what the path looks like ahead. However, he never does them without direction and preparation. God tells him to leave his land, then he packs everything he has, and then he takes the leap. When he went to sacrifice Isaac, as God told him to do, Hebrews says he knew God would bring Isaac back to him.

This all came as a realization to me as I have been thinking about the future. I have a strong sense of my calling, and an understanding of what pursuing that will look like, but I’m always hesitant to step out into my own crazy ideas. Typically, family and friends are right there to help hold me back and most of the time I am grateful; most of the time I am trying to lead God. But this matter of calling has been different. I am confident that it is what God wants me to do, and I feel assured that my efforts will be multiplied in the endeavor. So I finally decided to leap out, not because I had the idea, but because God helped me realize that a true leap of faith will never be in blindness.

Pax,

-Paul Hart Cochran

P.S. – For more information on this leap and where God is calling me, please visit http://www.engagehhc.org/