And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

A couple of weeks ago, I bought an air fryer. I know what you’re thinking—what took you so long? Right? Air fryers have been around for a while now, and their popularity has only increased, not waned.

I’m slow to jump on any bandwagon. For example, when I was ten, the New Kids on the Block burst onto the scene, but I couldn’t be convinced they would stick around. I’m not sure where this skepticism came from, but I do know that I was one of the only pre-teen girls of my generation who didn’t have a poster of the boy band on my bedroom wall. I did eventually listen to their music—and I even liked it!—but I never bought into all the hype.

When it came to buying an air fryer, my arguments against one were practical in nature. I have a tiny kitchen with little counter space and few plugins. Where would I put it? Where would I store it? I don’t fry much—maybe once or twice a year. What would I cook with it that I couldn’t fix in my oven?

But lately, my recipes have all seemed stale, and I was ready to try something new. My sister-in-law likes to cook and has had an air fryer for a couple of years, so I decided to ask her—would it be worth buying one just for myself? She responded with enthusiasm—she uses hers almost every day. That was all it took to convince me that the air fryer was just the thing I needed to add some variety.

I found a small one on sale—it’s just the right size for me (although it’s still a challenge to find a place to store it), and just like my sister-in-law, I’ve used it almost every day since I bought it. I may not fry a lot, but I do like to roast veggies and bake chicken—all of which I do in the oven. It’s only May, but temperatures have soared into the 90s, so using the oven is not ideal. But the air fryer is perfect. It cooks my veggies to perfection, and it doesn’t heat up the house—a win-win!

Have you ever put off doing something that you knew would benefit you because you couldn’t figure out how to make it work? I do this all the time—the air fryer is certainly not my first experience with this. I delay decisions or put things off because I’m just not convinced of the benefit.

This makes me think about my walk with Jesus. Many times, I put off doing what he wants me to do because I can’t see the entire picture and how it will benefit me in the end. Even though I know he has my good in mind (Romans 8:28), my human nature takes over and convinces me that I need all the facts before I trust him. This is because my human nature craves comfort and security, and sometimes, the good things that God wants for me feel neither comfortable nor safe.

I’m still figuring out how to overcome this hesitation. It seems I’m always taking one step forward, two steps back. Some things that help include the following:

• Prayer and listening for God’s response (which is hard!)
• Reading the Bible and letting God speak to me through his Word
• Going to a trusted, godly friend for advice

Do you deal with putting things off even when you know God wants you to move forward? How do you overcome the hesitation? I would love to hear your tips so that I can add to my arsenal!

Dear Jesus, I often hesitate to make decisions and follow you because my human nature fights against anything it believes might be uncomfortable. Show me how to overcome my hesitation and place my trust in you. Amen.