Around 1519, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés set sail halfway across the world, and after a long, exhausting, and dangerous journey, he and his crew reached the shores of Mexico. But even as they sighted land, the sailors on board were reluctant to step out onto the unknown land. Though seasick and weary, most of them wanted to remain on the ships or make the long journey back to the comfort of their homeland.
He probably did not know what lay ahead, but he knew the only way he would find out was if his men stepped out onto the land. But Cortés knew from experience that their half-hearted obedience would doom the mission, even before it began.
So in a bold and decisive move, he ordered his men ashore and then commanded that the ships be burned. A brave decision that would forever mark a turning point in history.
Now with the only possible escape route gone, the sailors had only one option: to move forward.
As Christians, we often find ourselves standing at the edge of faith-inspired decisions. God calls us forward—into new seasons, deeper trust, and greater obedience—yet we hesitate. We weigh our options, analyse the risks, and reason our way around surrender. We step onto the land for a moment, then retreat to the safety of the “ships” we have carefully anchored within reach.
The "ships" look different for each of us. The force of old habits we refuse to relinquish, carefully crafted backup plans that prevent us from fully trusting God, relationships we cling to instead of leaning on Him, or even our own wisdom and understanding that insists it knows what is best. We want to follow Christ, but only on our terms. We desire obedience, but with a long list of preconditions and rules we set for ourselves.
Yet obedience that is conditional is not obedience at all.
Faith often requires us to burn the ships. It asks us to throw away our safety nets, let go of our false securities, and trust God even when the future feels uncertain. God does not call us into recklessness, but He requires our complete and radical trust. It means believing that God is faithful enough to lead us forward when there is no evident way back.
Albert Einstein said, “God does not play dice with our lives.” The Bible reminds us that He has established His plans for us even before the foundations of the earth were laid.
What we fear losing may be the very thing holding us captive. The ships we cling to often feel like safety and comfort, but in reality, they keep us tethered to the past. When we throw away our crutches and step fully into obedience, we discover that God has already gone ahead of us.
The Bible reminds us, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
There is a beautiful and deeply personal story behind the famous song 'Burn the Ships' by For King & Country
During her pregnancy, Courtney Smallbone—the lead singer’s wife—struggled with severe nausea. Medication brought much-needed relief, but over time, it introduced a new and unexpected battle: addiction.
In a moment of God-given clarity and courage, Courtney realised that partial dependence would never bring the true freedom she craved. In an act of bold faith, she flushed all the pills down the toilet.
It was a huge leap of faith and absolute surrender to God in the face of her fears.
It was a bold declaration that her healing, hope, and strength would come from God alone.
That decisive act became a turning point in her life and ultimately the heart behind the album’s title track, 'Burn the Ships'—a song about cutting ties with the things that keep us from walking fully in the freedom God has called us to.
This new year, let us step out of the "ships" we are holed up in, stop looking back, and go where He is inviting us to go, without our backup plans and long list of conditions. Our lives will never look the same again, and who knows, history may be changed!
For the God who calls us is the same God who sustains us every step of the way.
Photo by lonely blue on Unsplash
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one of the best blogs i've come across, beautiful references taken from an influential/powerful song and band!
waiting for more like this.