But then, I got to the point where I had to truly step out in faith—much bigger faith than I had needed for any step up to that point. I had done many things that I could do on my own, working hard but also staying safe enough in my comfort zone. But as you know, a God-sized dream requires faith. It can’t be done by human effort alone! So when I reached the point of needing to truly step out into the unknown, I would be depending on God more than ever before. I would be taking huge risks! And guess what? I got scared, and I stopped. I shrank back, and I literally quit. The project never took another step forward. 

So whenever I read Hebrews 10:38, I feel extremely convicted! Why? Because I know that in that moment 15 years ago, I cowered in the face of risk, and God was not pleased with me. When I should have stepped out in faith, trusted God, and relied on Him to sustain and move me forward, I was motivated by fear instead. 

Here are a couple more versions of this verse that you might enjoy reading: 

“But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him]; And if he draws back [shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him.” -Hebrews 10:38, Amplified

“The person who is right with me will live by trusting in me. But I will not be pleased with the one who turns back in fear.” -Hebrews 10:38, Easy-to-Read Version

And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them. -Hebrews 10:38, The Living Bible

“But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he hesitates, my soul will not delight in him.” -Hebrews 10:38, The New Testament for Everyone

“But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.” -Hebrews 10:38, The Message

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to give God any reason not to delight in me. On the contrary, I want Him to be pleased and happy with me as I trust in Him and live by faith. That means sometimes I will need to do scary things! But if God has called me to a certain mission, project or calling, I can trust that He will see me through it. He’ll provide perfectly, He’ll teach me what I need to know, and He’ll direct my steps. All I have to do is trust Him enough to take risks even if I can only see the very next step. 

Have you thought about the fact that if God revealed the entire blueprint of a plan, we wouldn’t have a reason to stay near to Him anymore? We would be off and running, perhaps leaving Him in the dust. God desires intimacy with His children. By revealing things piece by piece, He gives us no choice but to remain close to Him. And when we remain close to Him, we can be more certain about staying right within His will as we listen and respond to His prompting. Not only that, but we can also enjoy His presence and fellowship. 

As you think about whether or not you are living by faith, or if there’s an area of your life where you’re shrinking back in fear, meditate on these reflection questions when you have some moments of quiet:

• How is God calling you to live by faith today? 
• In what way are you tempted to shrink back in fear? 
• Who can you ask to pray for you? 
• What attributes of God can help build your courage to take faith risks? 
• Which promises from the Bible can encourage you to be bold? 
• When have you hesitated in the past, instead of trusting God? How did you feel? How can this motivate you now and in the future?
• Who in your life have you seen take courageous steps of faith? What can you learn from that person? 
• When has God been faithful to you in the past? How will you thank Him for this? How can His past record of faithfulness embolden you today? 

“But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” -Hebrews 10:38