Stop Playing It Safe
Stop Playing It Safe: Living Faith with Boldness in a Broken World
What does it really mean to live with bold faith?
This past week shook me in an unsettling way. Between the tragic school shooting in Evergreen, Colorado (my home state), the anniversary of 9/11, and the devastating events in Utah that led to Charlie Kirk’s death, I felt overwhelmed with grief, sadness, and conviction. It felt as if God was waking me up to something I had been avoiding: the reality that I’ve been playing life too safely.
Everywhere we look, people are perishing—and many don’t even realize it. Our world has grown blind, desensitized, and cold. What God calls good is now mocked as bad, and what He calls evil is celebrated as good. Jesus warned us this day would come (Isaiah 5:20, Matthew 24:12). And yet, somewhere in the midst of life’s busyness and distractions, I forgot what I am truly called to do: spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is the most important message we could ever share. It is the only message that brings salvation, hope, and eternal life. Without Spirit-filled Christians boldly proclaiming it, people remain lost and evil runs rampant. That reality has been pressing heavily on my heart.
The truth is, I’ve played it safe most of my life. I avoid saying or doing things that might make others uncomfortable. I shrink back at the thought of offending someone. But Jesus was clear in Matthew 10:22: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” If the world hated Him, why should we expect to be treated differently?
Recently my prayer has been simple: Lord, give me courage. Give me boldness. Playing it safe isn’t working, and it never has.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, you and I are not just random people on this earth. We are chosen by the one true living God. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and He has equipped us with everything we need to carry out His mission. Through the Holy Spirit, we have been given power, wisdom, and discernment (Acts 1:8). What a beautiful truth that is!
All God asks is that we allow His Spirit to lead us. Bold faith doesn’t mean we have all the answers or that we’re perfect in how we speak. It means we trust God enough to step out, open our mouths, and let Him do the work through us.
One night, I was talking with my husband, and we jokingly (but truthfully) referred to the Holy Spirit as the ultimate Wi-Fi connection. The Holy Spirit is like the modem, and we are the routers. His role is to transmit the truth of God into our hearts. Our role is simply to stay connected to the Holy Spirit and route/share what we’ve received with the people around us.
That conversation lifted such a weight off of me. I don’t have to generate all the right words or have every answer ready. I just need to stay connected to the Source. Scripture explains this better in John 15, Jesus is the true vine and we are the branches. He produces good fruit in us and all we have to do is go and share it with others.
That realization was freeing. For so long, I feared saying the wrong thing, praying the wrong way, or not being knowledgeable enough. But boldness doesn’t come from me—it comes from Him. So, what does living faith with boldness look like for us today?
● It looks like speaking the truth in love, even when it’s unpopular. (Ephesians 4:15)
● It looks like living differently than the culture around us. (Romans 12:2)
● It looks like being willing to risk rejection for the sake of someone’s salvation. (Matthew 5:11-12)
● It looks like trusting the Holy Spirit to give us the right words at the right moment. (Luke 12:12)
My prayer is that you and I will stop living safely and start living boldly. That we would see the urgency of this time in history and rise to our calling. The world doesn’t need more silent Christians. It needs courageous, Spirit-filled believers who are willing to shine the light of Christ in dark places. Friend, if you’re reading this, let this be your reminder too: God has called you. He has chosen you. And He will equip you. Don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect words. Stay connected to Him, and step out in faith. Because bold faith changes lives.
