Contender or Pretender: Stepping Out in Faith
It’s easy to say you’re a Christian. The words can roll right off our tongues, and from the outside, it can look like we have it all together. But being a true contender for Christ? That’s something different. That takes effort. It takes work. It requires us to step outside of our comfort zones, to forgive when it’s hard, to hold onto faith when life feels uncertain, and to let go of the things we so tightly cling to. And if we’re being honest—it takes courage.
Yes, courage.
But not the kind of courage we try to muster up on our own. God never asked us to rely on our own strength. In fact, He tells us exactly where our strength comes from: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). It’s a verse we know well, one we quote often—but do we truly live it out? Do we lean on Him when we feel weak, or do we try to carry it all ourselves?
Even as Christians, we face hard seasons. There are moments filled with uncertainty, times when God doesn’t lay out a clear, step-by-step plan. Instead, He asks us to trust Him… and to take that first step—sometimes blindly.
If you’re anything like me, that’s not easy.
I like a plan. I like structure. My calendar looks like a roadmap—every appointment, every bill, every goal mapped out and organized. There’s comfort in knowing what comes next. So when God calls me to step out without seeing the whole picture, I hesitate. Not because I don’t trust Him, but because I’m afraid. Afraid I’ll step in the wrong direction, at the wrong time, or make a move that doesn’t align with His will.
But here’s the truth: God already knows that about us.
He knows we won’t always get it right—and He’s okay with that. Even when we step off course, He gently redirects us. He nudges us back into alignment with His will. It’s all part of the process. A refining. A teaching. A journey of growth.
God isn’t looking for perfection—He’s looking for willingness.
He honors humility. He values transparency. Those are the qualities of a true contender. The ones who don’t pretend to have it all together but show up anyway, ready to be used. Throughout the Bible, we see it over and over again—people chosen by God who made mistakes, who doubted, who struggled. Yet, God still used them. He restored them. He shaped them into something greater.
Did He need them? No.
Does He need us? No.
But He wants us.
He wants to mold us, to shape us, to refine us into vessels that can be used for His purpose. And that process isn’t always comfortable—but it is always worth it.
So here we are, at the start of a new week.
A fresh beginning.
Let me ask you this: Are you ready to step out? Not perfectly. Not with every detail figured out. But willingly, humbly, and faithfully?
This world has enough pretenders—people who walk away when things get hard, when the pressure builds, when the path isn’t clear.
But contenders?
Contenders lean in.
They stay when it’s uncomfortable. They trust when it doesn’t make sense. They move forward even when they can’t see what’s ahead—because they know Who is leading them.
And sometimes, that’s exactly where God can use you the most.