Same Old Boring Life!

A farmer I know had a barn fire a few years back. His cows had become so accustomed to life in the barn they were afraid to come out. The light of day was unknown to them and they preferred to stay in the heat and smoke of the barn rather than step out into the cool, fresh air. When firemen and neighbors finally got them out of the barn their appearance was shocking – they had overgrown hooves, straggly coats and agitated demeanors.

What was once the exact place God put us can become a trap if we stay in it longer than He intended. The people we like working with, the things we’ve learned to do well, and minimal resistance may be in the comfort zone, but so are sluggishness and stagnation if we remain there too long.

Don’t let your comfort zone become an excuse to disobey the prompting of God. Naman’s ‘personal standards’ were his comfort zone and he kept them so rigidly he almost missed God’s healing (2 Kings 5). When God tried to pull Jonah out of his comfort zone he fled the assignment. Jonah wasn’t too happy about prophesying to people outside of his ‘normal’ audience. When God called Peter to take the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles his first answer was “I will never touch anything unclean” (Acts 10). Personal comforts and preferences can be roadblocks to God’s work in and through us.

When God said He would send the Comforter, He wasn’t talking about keeping us comfortable – but empowering us to be the voice, hands and feet of Jesus Christ on the earth today. Don’t keep our Lord and Savior under lock and key in your comfort zone – use that empowerment for the advancement of His kingdom in whatever way He directs.

Drop your protective comfort zones and step out on the water!