Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Picture what comfort looks like to you. Is it a big fluffy bed with a soft blanket and cozy pillows? Or a relaxing scene on a beach with a nice cold drink at your side? The scenarios can go on and on regarding comfort….for example there is a comfort in knowing that we have locks on our doors or a password on our accounts. How about comfort in knowing we have a good job or that we can go to the grocery store to get food for our families? Comfort can take many shapes and sizes. Comfort can give us peace and an expectation for a good outcome.

Let’s contrast comfort with discomfort or unease. The picture looks a lot different and brings to mind some things about comfort we may have failed to initially think of. How about physical health, or relationships. All things that can be impacted and turn from comfortable to uncomfortable.

While comfort zones can seem desirable, they can actually keep us from experiencing God’s best. This is because comfort zones can keep us from extending our faith and keep us from experiencing God in a new and fresh way.

Take Martha and Mary for example in John 11. Their comfort zone was shaken when they lost their brother Lazarus because Jesus, the healer, did not show up on time. Of course we know that Jesus’ delay was intentional and as a result of their uncomfortable, and dare I say tragic situation, they came to know Jesus, not only as a healer, but as the resurrection.

Now, I am not suggesting that God inflicts bad in our lives to move us out of our comfort zones, as this would be against the nature of who He is. However, I am suggestion that God utilizes situations in our lives to stretch and grow our dependency on Him so we can experience His abundance. If Mary and Martha only knew Jesus as a healer, they would not have known him as intimately and they may have even been more challenge when Jesus, himself was resurrected from the grave.

Are there comfort zones in your life that you don’t want to let go of? Is there a fear that keeps you wanting to move forward in faith? Well, I encourage you to step out of that place of comfort, extend your faith, and allow God to show up in your life in a new way. He has great things in store for all of us, He is just looking for us to extend ourselves in FAITH!