Stepping Out of the Ark & Into the Shift!

Here we are again, cozy at our favorite coffee shop. Thanks for meeting me at the Worthy Blog Café last week, for letting me spill my heart, my struggles, and my wrestlings with God. Who would have thought He would use that moment the way He did? It’s like the second I wrote it all out, Sunday came, and He started speaking even louder—telling me it’s time to step out of the ark.

Not going to lie—I’ve been sitting with the story of Gideon a lot lately. And whew, God has been making it clear—I’ve been Gideon, hiding out in the winepress, afraid to step out. I’ve been keeping myself locked away, and Jesus is calling me out of the cellar. But hold that thought—we’ll come back to Gideon in a sec.

I want to talk about the ark.

I've been spending so much time in my Bible lately, because honestly? It’s the only thing that quiets my overthinking mind. And this past week, something hit differently. I was reading Genesis 8:11-12 (ESV):

“And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.”

I’ve read this passage what feels like a million times, but this time, I caught something I never noticed before. Yeah, the dove came back—but Noah still waited another seven days before sending it out again.

And I had to ask… Why?

Was it just extreme patience after all that time in the ark? Or was there a part of him that didn’t want to leave the presence of God? Did he hesitate because the ark had become a safe place?

I don’t know the answer, but I do know this—Jesus used that moment to check my heart.

I realized I’ve been doing the same thing. Last year was rough, and this year, I’ve been playing everything cautiously—personally, in this ministry, even with small, silly commitments. I’ve been too scared to step forward because of what happened last year. So instead, I’ve been hiding away with Jesus, wrapped up in His presence, letting Him soften my heart. And that’s been so good.

But here’s what He’s been pressing on me: It’s time to step out of the ark.

And as I step out, I know I’ll have to wrestle with a question I asked myself just last week at the Worthy Blog Café: Do I really believe that what was once destroyed can be renewed? https://www.shiftworthyministries.com/post/shifting-with-jesus-trusting-god-to-renew-what-was-lost

I’ve been keeping Jesus all to myself when He’s asking me to share Him again—like I used to. And one of the first ways He nudged me out was through a small role at my church, helping with social media. I know, I know—it sounds small, but it’s actually become an act of worship. I get to step into the service, worship, and let the Holy Spirit lead me to capture those moments. And little by little, it’s helping me step back into sharing, back into community, back into boldness.

He’s also been calling me back to the meaning of Shift Worthy Ministries, reminding me of what He started through the Shift Worthy Experience series. And He’s showing me—yes, the ark, the Worthy Café, is good. It’s a place to rest and reset. But I wasn’t meant to stay hidden inside forever. It’s time to shift up the mountain with Him, mess and all.

Because here’s the truth: I can’t wait until I have it all together—because I never will. And neither will you.

We have to step out now, scars and all, and trust that as we move, God heals.

So back to Gideon.

God called him “O mighty man of valor.” And I just imagine Gideon looking around like, God… who? Me? Sir, I think you’ve got the wrong guy. Because Gideon didn’t feel mighty. He felt small, afraid, unqualified.

But God didn’t say, “Hey, Gideon, stay in the winepress until you’ve studied your Bible more. You can’t come out until you’ve got all the answers.”

No—He called Gideon as he was. Messy. Afraid. Unsure. And then He told him, “Go in this might of yours.”

Not the might he wished he had. Not the might he thought he needed to earn. But the might he already had, right there in that moment—with the Lord by his side.

If you’ve been hiding like me, it’s time to step out of the ark.

We don’t have to have it all figured out. We don’t need to be fully healed, fully confident, fully “ready.” What we need is the strength that comes from knowing the Lord is with us. And that’s enough.

So let’s do this together.

Let’s step out. Let’s shift forward. Let’s walk in the might we already have.

Jesus is calling.

Are you ready?