Fear or Discernment

Right now, Whit and I are staring down what might be the biggest life change we’ve ever made. In just a few months, we’re moving to Cape Town, and the to-do list between here and there is... well, it’s a lot.

We’ve got passports, visas, missionary applications, support raising (which we don’t even know how to do), a house to sell, dogs to re-home or relocate, finances to untangle, credit cards and auto-payments to sort out. Then there's preparing for the other side …inding a car, securing a place to live, deciding which part of the city to land in, and asking Jesus, “What do You want to do once we get there?”

Some days I feel like I need a full-time project manager, a life coach, and a therapist, all before 10 a.m.

But in the middle of all this swirling activity, Jesus gave me a picture: liquidation.
Not just financially. Liquidation of everything that used to define how we made decisions.

It feels like selling a bunch of stocks and holding cash on the sidelines because there’s a great opportunity coming, we just don’t know when, or how, or what it will look like. The only difference is, this isn’t about market timing… it’s about Kingdom timing.

And the liquidation He’s doing isn't just financial, it's spiritual, emotional, even relational. He’s making room. We’re believing for healing in places that have stayed broken for years. For favor and access where we’ve only known closed doors. For supernatural provision where income streams have dried up. For freedom in places that have long been familiar prisons.

But here's the hardest part.
All the natural metrics for "wise decision-making" have gone out the window.
And God seems to be asking us to measure our next move by just one thing.
"Is this what I’m asking you to do?"

That’s not as simple as it sounds.

Because I’m not just talking about some ethereal destiny, purpose, or path - I’m talking about the decisions I am making RIGHT now in real time that feel like they are really high stakes with so much uncertainty in the mix.  The same question seems to keep popping up:

 Is this discernment, or fear?

Should I focus on contacting dog rescue centers today? Or finish the visa paperwork?
Should I take time to sit and journal what I’m hearing from God… or keep checking off the logistical tasks that feel never-ending?

We’re learning to listen for His voice in real-time.
To trust that today’s instructions might not look like tomorrow’s.
And to admit — sometimes fear and discernment sound really similar.

When Fear Sounds Like Wisdom (But Isn’t)

In the Gospels, we see Jesus face decisions that had huge consequences, not just for Himself, but for the people around Him. He was constantly navigating the tension between wisdom and obedience. And here’s what we notice: He didn’t rely on logic. He relied on listening.

“I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.”
— John 8:28

That’s the model.
He didn’t ask, “Is this the safest option?”
He asked, “Father, what are You doing?”

Remember when His close friends told Him not to go back to Judea because people wanted to kill Him? That sounded like solid discernment. But Jesus went anyway, because He was listening to a different voice.

Or when He delayed going to heal Lazarus, even though He loved the family deeply. That didn’t make sense in the moment. But it did in the Kingdom.

Discernment isn’t always the same thing as safety.
It’s definitely not always efficient.
And it’s rarely something you can explain well to others.

But it’s anchored in one thing. Are you listening for the Shepherd’s voice, or just avoiding risk?

So What Do We Do?

Here’s where Whit and I are landing.
We’re not trying to master the art of good decisions.
We’re trying to deepen the practice of walking with the Decision-Maker.

Sometimes, that means asking, “What’s the most strategic use of our time today?”
But other times, it means asking, “What would it look like to trust You right now?”

And honestly… sometimes we get it wrong.
We freak out. We delay. We hustle. We spiral.
But Jesus doesn’t shame us when we mishear. He redirects us.

We’re learning to keep showing up, keep surrendering, and keep asking the only question that matters in this season.

Is this what You’re asking us to do?

A Word for the Ones Still Wrestling

So if you're in a moment where everything feels weighty and unclear, where your heart is genuinely trying to follow God, but you’re stuck wondering if you’re hesitating out of wisdom or just fear, take a breath.

You’re not alone.

And more importantly…
YOUR skill isn’t what will make it all work or fail.

The pressure isn’t on you to perfectly distinguish fear from discernment every time.
The Kingdom doesn’t advance because we always get it right.
It advances because Jesus is faithful, and we’re willing.

“The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:24

So here’s the truth I’m choosing, and maybe it’s for you too:

You don’t need perfect clarity to walk in obedience.
You just need a willing heart and the courage to say yes again today.

And the beauty of it all?
Even when we stumble…
Even when we hesitate…
Even when fear masquerades as wisdom and we get tricked…

Grace still moves. Jesus still leads. And somehow, the Kingdom still breaks through.

Let’s keep saying yes.

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