By nature, I’m a relatively cautious person. If pain occurs or trust is compromised, I tend to think twice before going down that road again.
For example: if a curling iron melts my entire thumbprint off, I proceed with caution next time. And if a person treats me—or someone I love—unfairly, well, I definitely proceed with caution in the future.
But here’s where it gets tricky: sometimes my own caution tries to build an unhealthy fortress around the wounded corners of my heart. I’ve had to learn to be cautious of my own caution. It sounds funny, I know, but maybe you understand what I mean.
Over the years, I’ve met plenty of cynical, pessimistic, and bitter people—and almost all of them had one thing in common: they’d been burned. Their pain didn’t develop overnight, and their journey toward bitterness was long and exhausting.
But here’s what’s fascinating: I’ve also met some of the most hopeful, optimistic, and joyful people—and they’d been burned too! Some of their wounds were even deeper, yet they still smiled.
The difference was clear. The ones who embraced wholeness and healing, instead of staying tattered and torn, chose Jesus. They chose to courageously proceed with confidence in the Lord as their helper—rather than fearfully proceeding with caution against whatever could happen next.
Don’t get me wrong—proceeding with caution isn’t wrong when it’s rooted in wisdom and discernment. We live in a broken world, and painful circumstances are inevitable. But we can’t allow our caution to override our confidence in Christ.
Here’s the truth: no matter how badly we’ve been burned, Jesus will always work things out for our good. He will never break our trust, never cause us to stumble, and never lead us astray.
So today, proceed with confidence. Pursue healing, embrace tenderness, and smile—because His plans for you are always good.
Hebrews 13:6 — So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
