Many, if not all, residents and staff members of Eagle Village have had the opportunity to experience the High Ropes Course. A course consisting of dozens of elements that require exceptional mental focus, intense physical determination and the ability to conquer your fears.
While standing up at 24-feet in the air is a challenge to most people, the participants still find the strength to climb, crawl, hang, swing and balance through the obstacles to make their way to the end. It is when they approach the end of the course that some find the next step to be the most meaningful part of it all – the “step-off”.
The step-off is a little blue plank that protrudes out from the end of the ropes course, similar to one you would see on a pirate’s ship and in typical fashion, this part of the course creates intimidation, uncertainty, disillusion and even fear.
As the participant stands there, 24-feet in the air, toes hanging over the edge of the plank. Their heart pounding, vision clouding, focus diminishing – most people look down at the floor then to the facilitator who is holding the other end of the rope and examines the knot that is to hold them from falling. They then take a deep breath, grab the rope, close their eyes and take a step…
Now what if that were you standing 24-feet in the air? Your toes hanging over the edge, heart pounding, palms sweating, at some point you have to make a decision. Are you going to trust and try or are you going to stay stuck on the edge of the plank forever?
When you decide to trust the rope and the facilitator, and stop standing still and start trying, you will finally muster the courage to take the next step. That is what God wants for us. He wants us to change. We know God loves us just as we are, but he doesn’t want us to stay in the same place forever. He wants us to grow and to change.
Sometimes, that change God has in store for us makes us nervous and conjures feelings of fear and uncertainty. Sometimes we double check and second guess. Sometimes we are scared away from the change that God has laid out for us because we can’t fully predict what will happen if we take the “big step”.
The most frightening and memorable moment for most participants in the ropes course requires them to trust and try. Similar to us trusting God’s plan and trying to take that step. It is possible that the most meaningful and memorable moments in your future require you to do the same. We need to trust that God can change us and lead us, and we need to try our best to follow his footsteps. It takes both to make the step-off successful just like it takes both for us to take the next step in our life.