the pressure’s off.

I’m reading through the Bible in 30 days this month. So, last week, I read through (almost) the entire book of Genesis. In one day.

The thing about reading through the Bible so quickly is that you don’t focus in on the verse-by-verse (or, if you’re like me, word-by-word) details. You notice things in broad strokes. I’ve done this before, and just like any time you read the same thing in scripture, it’s always a bit of a different experience. Holy Spirit highlights different things.

What I kept thinking about as I read through Genesis this time was how human these people were. And how things happened – the things they did and the choices they made – were kind of just simply that. Things that happened. And they were almost entirely beside the point.

The truly significant parts were about what God did, how He responded, and the ways He orchestrated outcomes in spite of the choices these people made.

For example: Jacob traded a bowl of stew for his brother (the firstborn son) Esau’s birthright. Then, Jacob – with the help of his mother – tricked his father into giving him the blessing that also belonged to Esau.

You could look at that, in and of itself, and have lots of thoughts around how deceitful that was and what Jacob deserved. Or, you could look at it – as I used to – and kind of just brush it off because we now know Him as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Does it even matter how it went down? It was always supposed to be Jacob, right?

This time, reading through each story, I just kept thinking about none of us really know what we’re doing in real time. Jacob wasn’t trying to get his name in the lineup, he was just being deceitful. Ruth wasn’t trying to be in the lineage of Jesus, she just went to work and obeyed her mother-in-law.

The people we read about in scripture are just living their lives and making decisions, and perhaps I’ve put too much focus on them as I’ve read their stories in the past.

That’s not to say that what we do and the choices we make don’t matter. Just ask Moses, who struck the rock when God told him to speak to it, and therefore wasn’t able to go into the promised land. Make no mistake, we play a significant role – but that part matters much less in light of who God is and what He does.

God still brought the Israelites into the land He promised to give them. Moses just wasn’t the one who got to lead them into it.

It all sounds kind of obvious as I type it out, but I realized that I can get pretty caught up in what I’m supposed to do or how things are supposed to be. Trying to make decisions or take steps can be paralyzing because I don’t want to choose wrong. I don’t want to be left out of the promised land.

I forget how God moves in spite of me, not because of me. Which means, the pressure’s off.

Yes, our actions matter. They can limit how much or how little we get to participate in and experience what God is doing. But they cannot mess up His plans, limit His kindness, or put a cap on His grace. The weight does not rest on our shoulders.

We are free to say yes. To make a bold move. To step out in faith. To declare and stand on what we believe God said.

Even though it can feel risky, putting your faith in God is the safest bet you can make.

The power of God is in you, even on a Thursday.