To celebrate the Fourth of July, we went to an outdoor concert at a nearby amphitheater. Before we left, I went into my gadget drawer and got out a fan that hangs around my neck so I could keep cool. It’s got me thinking about how many crazy inventions there are that are designed to keep us comfortable. The problem is that a recent study shows that the more comfortable we’ve made ourselves, the less happy we’ve become. Did you know that being uncomfortable is actually good for you? Without being uncomfortable, chances are you’re going to remain where you are and achieve very little. Comfort is a tool the enemy uses to keep us from growth and from following God’s voice.
After Moses had murdered an Egyptian, he fled Egypt for 40 years. Moses then became comfortable being a shepherd in Midian, but God met him in a burning bush and called him back to Egypt. He gave every excuse under the sun why he couldn’t or shouldn’t go back. Egypt was uncomfortable to Moses. It meant facing the things he had run from. Why would God ask him to leave his comfort zone? Because the cries of His children there were more important than one person’s comfort. We know that even though Moses was uncomfortable in going, he did it anyway. The result was freedom for millions of slaves and one of the greatest displays of God’s power ever recorded.
I believe God is calling you and me to a place of uncomfortableness. It can feel,scary because of all the unknowns. However, I want to remind you that 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (NLT). The spirit of power, love and self-discipline are greater than the spirit of fear. Which spirit are you embracing? Doing God’s will is never going to be comfortable. You’re going to have to step out into unfamiliar territory. You’re going to have to challenge the way things are if you’re going to bring freedom to the captives. Instead of embracing our comforts, we’re going to have to start embracing uncomfortableness. Don’t let fear or uncertainty hold you back. You’ve been called to a life of faith and you’ve been given the power, love and self-discipline to do it. You just need to embrace it.
Photo by Anil Xavier on Unsplash
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 