Choosing Love Today: Enduring Faith - Episode 11: When Faith Costs

Today’s episode is about a kind of faith we don’t talk about enough — the kind that costs something. The kind that asks you to leave something behind. The kind that requires courage, not comfort. And if you’ve ever had to make a hard decision, or walk away from something familiar, or step into a future you didn’t fully understand… then you know exactly what I’m talking about. When I think about costly faith, my mind goes straight to Ruth. Ruth didn’t grow up in Israel. She didn’t grow up with the Scriptures. She didn’t grow up hearing about Abraham, Moses, or David. She was from Moab — a place with different customs, different gods, and a different way of life. But when her husband died, and her mother-in-law Naomi decided to return to Israel, Ruth faced a crossroads. She could stay in Moab — the familiar place, the comfortable place, the predictable place. Or she could follow Naomi into a land she didn’t know, with people she didn’t know, to worship a God she was only beginning to understand....And Ruth chose the harder road. She said, “Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” That wasn’t poetic. That wasn’t sentimental. That wasn’t a pretty verse for a wedding ceremony. That was a woman choosing sacrifice over comfort. That was a woman choosing faith over familiarity. That was a woman choosing God even when she didn’t know what the future held. And here’s the part that's really encouraging: Ruth didn’t make that decision because she had all the answers. She didn’t make it because she had a clear plan. She didn’t make it because she knew how everything would turn out. She made it because she trusted God enough to take the next step. Costly faith isn’t loud. Costly faith isn’t dramatic. Costly faith isn’t glamorous. Costly faith is quiet courage — the kind that says, “I don’t know what’s ahead, but I’m going to trust God anyway.” Maybe today you’re facing something that requires sacrifice. Maybe you’re having to let go of something familiar. Maybe you’re stepping into a season that feels uncertain. Maybe you’re choosing obedience even though it’s uncomfortable. Maybe you’re walking away from something that once felt safe..... And maybe you’re wondering if you have enough faith to do it. But hear this: Faith isn’t measured by how easy the road is. Faith is measured by whether you trust God enough to walk it. Ruth didn’t know she would meet Boaz. She didn’t know if she would be welcomed. She didn’t know she would be protected. She didn’t know she would become part of the family line of Jesus Himself. All she knew was that God was calling her forward — and she said yes. And God honored her faith in ways she couldn’t have imagined. If you’re facing a costly step today, you’re not alone. My friends....God sees you. God sees your courage. He sees your sacrifice. He sees the faith it takes to walk away from the familiar. And just like He did with Ruth, He is already working in the places you haven’t reached yet. Enduring faith isn’t about choosing the easy road. It’s about choosing the faithful road. So today, if the path in front of you requires courage, take the step. God is already ahead of you… and He knows exactly what He’s doing.   Remember: God sees you, keep enduring, stay faithful, and… Keep Choosing Love Today.