“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
Most of us want minimum risk and maximum return, but investment advisors know those two desires don’t really go together.
When investing money in the market for retirement, a consultant will always ask you to identify your risk tolerance. Based on your risk tolerance, you then choose your investments. Unfortunately, the more aggressive choices are also the most volatile.
I’ve often wondered, how do we measure risk tolerance? How do people really answer that question? Most people think they know themselves, so they just toss out an answer. Wanting to appear wise, I might tell the advisor I’m conservative and want only moderate risk, but inwardly I’m impatient and want investments to pay off quickly. It seems like a compromise to my gut to invest in a sure bet that does nothing, simply because I want to play it safe.
I would venture to say many of us have this same tension within, and it tends to hold us back from doing anything. Why? Because a big risk seems too big, and a small risk seems too boring.
The truth is, bigger risks are guarded—mainly by fear. Mind you, there may be other guards as well: the guardians of work, responsibility, loss of comfort, and loss of freedom. But the fear of failure is the most ominous.
The fear of failure is usually compounded if you’ve been forced to taste failure before. Once you’ve tasted failure, it’s hard to get that taste out of your mouth.
Does fear of loss or fear of failure keep you from taking risks—investing yourself in activities that might pay off?
What’s the solution? For the follower of Jesus, the solution is the Word of God. When you have God’s Word on something, it eliminates the risk of stepping out. Even though natural circumstances say you are at risk, the Word from God ensures the outcome. So you aren’t really out on a limb at all, though it may appear that you are.
This is why hearing from God is so vital, rich, and important. His Word is the basis for all our steps of faith. Make your prayer times, your meal times, your fasting times—times of listening well. Record what He says, for it is the power to overcome the fear of failure and all the power of the enemy.
1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Romans 10:11
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”