The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly – John 10:10
“Dear Red, if you’re reading this, you’ve gotten out. And if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further.” The scene is from The Shawshank Redemption, with Red seated in a field reading a letter from his friend Andy. Unlike another fellow parolee, Red chose not to go down the same path by allowing the fear of freedom to cause him to commit suicide. He instead kept a promise to Andy, who had escaped, and he came to the spot where an answer awaited. Will he go a little further?
Sometimes the very thing you desire from God will require going beyond walls and comfort. This was the message I felt given to me by the Holy Spirit during the consideration of a growth opportunity. Although I wanted to broaden my horizon, I nevertheless became hesitant about what it entailed. Like Red, I would need to go further. Choose between living functionally or living abundantly.
Red eventually reconnected with Andy. But he first had to lay aside his trepidation and trust that his friend’s promise was real. Is God calling you, like He is me, to walk further in faith? I guess the answer is what Andy discovered and wanted Red to choose: getting busy living (going beyond) or dying (just existing).