“My grandfather died thirty years ago, but last night I dreamed he called me on the phone. He said that he was living in Las Vegas and that I should come and join him.” At the time of the dream, the dreamer needed to make an important decision in his life. His usual approach to these situations was to be cautious, logical, and rational. But the dream was challenging him to take a gamble and listen to his heart instead of his head. His growth required that he take an “irrational risk.”
To really know and be guided by God in your life, you must be willing to take risks. I’m not talking about slot machines, poker, or sports betting. I’m talking about the risk of following your heart and having the courage to do something that feels right simply because it feels right. For example, you might follow a calling to start your own business even though the obstacles you face may initially seem daunting. Even turning to your intuition to decide where to have lunch is a healthy form of irrational risk. Taking risks for God means having faith and letting go of your desire to control so that you can honor the promptings of your soul.
To be spiritually alive, you must be something of a gambler. A life without risks, a life where you never “put yourself out there,” is uninspired and, ultimately, boring. It lacks the spark of a life lived for something greater than yourself. Perhaps this is why the addicted gambler will lose his paycheck, his home, and his life savings–not to mention his job, friendships, or marriage–for the chance of “winning it all.” There is a part of all of us that longs, and needs, to live life laying it all on the line. So, when life challenges you to place a bet, place it on your soul.