Nineteenth Century Circuit Preacher Peter Cartwright delivered a sermon one Sunday morning. He was warned that President Andrew Jackson would be in attendance and to keep his remarks inoffensive as to not upset the President. But during his message he came out and said, “I have been told that Andrew Jackson is in here today and to hold back any offensive remarks. What I must say is that Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he does not repent of his sin.” It is said that after sermon the President approached Cartwright and said, “If I had a regiment of men like you I could whip the world.”

Nothing of significance ever is gained without taking a risk to get it. Mountain climbers have to risk their fear in order to reach new heights. Peter Cartwright took a risk and stepped out with boldness in his remarks to the President and as a result make an impact I am sure. Life was not meant to be safe, it was meant to be significant. And significance requires you and I to step out beyond our fears and comfort. In my book, “Life Rules” I talk about one of the most important rules to live by…Make Your PURPOSE More Important Than Your COMFORT. The truth is that purpose demands us to forgo comfort at times. It does not mean that we can’t be comfortable, it just means that in order to grow into greater opportunities we must not allow comfort to keep us from purpose.

My wife and I had to make our purpose greater than our comfort years ago when we took a position out of state that actually resulted in a pay-decrease. However, we felt that in order to fulfill what God had put in our hearts, the purpose was greater than the money. We knew that in order to experience God’s provision and allow Him to use us it required us to “GIVE up in order to GO up.” Even though our finances decreased our purpose and growth increased! What we experienced in that season of our life was worth more than any amount of money we could have made. Our financial comfort was not more important than the spiritual impact we were called to make. Hunter S. Thompson said,

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

Life should be about taking risk and stepping out into the unknown. Jesus was a risk taker. He stepped out of His comfort into His purpose. Satan tempted Jesus to be comfortable by turning stones into bread when He was fasting. He tempted Him to force others to serve Him and tend to Him while He was weak and lowly in the desert. Jesus didn’t allow His comfort to control His purpose.

I want to challenge you to step out and be a risk taker in life. Start to take the steps necessary to get to where you feel called to go. Dream more. Climb higher. Pray bigger. Believe stronger. Push yourself further.

What areas in your life do you need to take a risk in?

What steps do you know you need to take but haven’t yet?

Know this…PURPOSE is forged in the realms of RISK. Start to step out in these ares in your life and see what God can do in and through you!