We've been reading Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris for our Keepers at Home group (the teen girls). It's my turn to prepare the study for this coming Monday. I'm covering chapters 6 & 7, I just fininshed chapter 5. I think I need prayer.
Lately, I've been thinking a bit about living a life of faith rather than of fear, so when I came across these quotes in the book I was challenged.
"We resist, delay, fight, and scream--all to keep from leaving our cozy little routines. But there's a high cost for choosing comfort; without even realizing it, we build an invisible fence around ourselves. Nothing challenging is allowed to enter--even if it has the potential to set us free. Inside the fence are all the things we feel comfortable attempting, things we've already done successfully." p. 67, 68.
"We've noticed that the fence that keeps us from breaking out of our comfort zones is nearly always built of fear--fear of weakness, discomfort, failure, humiliation. We've noticed something else too: you can't live by fear and live by faith at the same time." p. 69.
They quote 2Timothy 1:7 which says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
And the first part of Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him..."
I'm also reminded here of the parable of the talents and the man who was given one talent. Matthew 25:25, 'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' I think those of us who don't step out of our comfort zones are like the one-talent man. We're not good stewards of what God has given us.
There've been times in my life when I've stepped out of my comfort zone like when I went to Singapore by myself (traveled by myself), when I did the zip-line one summer (have pictures to prove it), when I wrote a Christmas play for children and with tons of help got it performed at church, when I learned to knit this last year. Sometimes I look back on those things and wonder at it all and realize that the only way any of them happened is because God gave me the strength or ability, not because I could have done them, so I'm able to praise Him when I see His work.
So, on Monday I'll be stepping out of my comfort zone again. Here I go...praying all the way.
4 comments:
I call it the Moses syndrome. When God calls us to a task, it always looks scary; but He is faithful to provide everything we need to complete it. We must then remember to give Him the glory when it is accomplished.
About the time I think I know you, I find something out something else new and interesting! ;-) I never knew you went to Singapore before! So please tell me about it sometime! ?! ;-)
Love your posts, even when I don't have time to comment--the platter was pretty, but I confess to not knowing any thing about the brand. ?! I'll go look.
Bless you, my friend, as you teach!
This is a good challenge. It becomes easier and easier in our tech-savvy world to cave inside of ourselves and not reach out to others. I think you're right--faith calls us to extraordinary places at times--even if that is just stepping out of the house and saying hello to people as they walk by. I'm so grateful for my husband who continually encourages me and challenges me to step outside of myself--sometimes when he can't see the end result himself...like with sewing.
You are exactly right. Our comfort zones would be better left voluntarily. In so doing we will build the character needed to endure the forced ousting from them, such as you describe the coop to have experienced. Peter and John were glad to *get* to suffer as Jesus did - Acts 5. Wow. There's an attitude and a definitive exit from comfort!
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