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Sep 14, 2025 06:00am

Do You Trust Me? God’s Gentle Question in Life’s Risks

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Recently, on a girls’ trip, my daughter and I were in a souvenir shop, looking for a hoodie as a memento of our fun getaway. Once my daughter picked out her hoodie, we went to the front to pay for it. It was then that the cashier said something that forever changed everything for me.

“Want to play a game?”

I looked at him in surprise. “Huh? A game?” I thought. Quizzical, I looked at my daughter to see what she thought. Smiling and intrigued, she shrugged her shoulders and gave me a look that said, “Why not?”

“Okay,” I replied hesitantly.

“If I guess your name, you get this hoodie for free. But if I don’t, you have to pay double for it. Do we have a deal?”

It sounds like an easy decision, right? Well, not if you were me. My logic told me he saw my license as I pulled out my card to pay and already knew my name. And the other side of my mind, which questions and doubts, said, Amber, what if you have to pay double? You don’t want to pay that much money for a hoodie! Play it safe and say, “No!”

So, I said the most logical thing a person would say to such an intriguing question, “I don’t really want to spend that much money on a hoodie . . .”

A look of disappointment flashed on his face. “You know,” he said, “I was just playing with you. I wouldn’t have made you pay double. Plus, you had the right to say, “No.” Anyways, I saw your name on your license when you pulled out your wallet.” After that, he rang up my purchase. Disappointed that I had missed out on a free sixty-dollar hoodie, I paid for it and left.

As I walked out of the store with my daughter, it hit me: this was typical Amber. When it comes to taking chances in life, I play it safe and avoid taking risks. It was then that the Holy Spirit nudged me further. “Amber, when it comes to faith, how many times do you truly walk by faith?”

Gulp. And ouch. The conviction hit me hard. And yet, the Holy Spirit wasn’t wrong. How many times had I lost out on unexpected blessings because I focused on the “what ifs” and what I could lose rather than what I could gain?

Sigh.

God used that moment to show me how much I treasure my comfort zone and how little I am willing to venture out of it. I had a safety bubble around me, and as much as I preach “walk by faith” to my Sunday school class and youth group, I had subconsciously placed limitations on how much I would walk by faith.

It’s interesting… when you study the life of Jesus, many of His miracles were contingent upon someone’s faith. Several times, those seeking a miracle had to take a risk doing so. They had to get a little sweaty seeking Jesus’ saving grace.

It was risky when an unclean woman pushed through a crowd of people, believing that a touch of Jesus’ garment would heal her. It was risky when Peter got out of a boat, during a storm, and believed he could walk on water to Jesus. It was risky when a Roman officer openly sought Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant merely by His words and not His presence.

Each of these people had to get a little sweaty trusting Jesus. Each person demonstrated their faith and took action — a risky action. As a result, a person experienced Jesus Christ so profoundly and miraculously that their lives were forever changed.

God never wastes a teachable moment. For me, He used a silly game to open my eyes to trust Him more. It was the mental shift I needed. So I made a vow, “Lord, I want to trust You more and be willing to get uncomfortable doing it.”

Let’s just say the Lord answered my prayer within a few days. I was presented with an opportunity to make a significant career shift. (Did I mention I was already working my beloved job and had been doing so for the past 25 years?) Nothing in my flesh wanted this change . . . and yet, I was too familiar with the nudge of the Holy Spirit to dismiss it. It had God’s fingerprints all over it.

I have walked with the Lord long enough to know He was asking for my complete obedience. I was equal parts terrified and excited. The cashier’s question of “Want to play a game?” echoed in my mind, reminding me of my vow earlier. My heart quickened, and my palms got sweaty. Surely, these are signs that you are walking in faith? If God’s plans don’t quicken our heartbeats and make our palms sweaty, are we really walking by faith?

In the back of my mind, I heard a voice say: “Do you trust me, Amber?”

This time, instead of focusing on what I would lose, I saw what I could gain, and it was enough for me to say two words confidently: “Yes, Lord.”

Now, I’m not calling God sassy, but I am almost certain He whispered, “It’s about time.”