I was on a conference call recently regarding investments at work. One of the speakers on the call was very entertaining. He used lingo that I was told was fairly dated so it gave us a laugh. However, he also said something that made me think. “If we are not optimizing our discomfort we are not doing what we need to do.” Of course he was referring to investment risk but I took it a whole different way.
In our Christian walk “optimizing our discomfort” means that we are outside of our comfort zone. No one ever said that living for Christ would be easy. If we are growing at all, odds are we are uncomfortable a good bit of the time. This may sound scary but we are not in this alone. Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, is enabling us to do God’s work.
There are many Biblical accounts of people being stretched to the limit. Abraham (or Abram as he was when God called him) left a very cushy life in Ur and went to a destination unknown to him at the time. He packed up everything and left because God said so. Risky?
Moses was slow of speech yet God had him confront Pharaoh to let his people go. Do you think Moses was happy about that?
“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go, tell Pharaoh King of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.’ But Moses said to the LORD, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?" Exodus 6:10-12 NIV
Moses made excuses because he wasn’t so sure about this but he did it anyway. Risky?
Then there is Peter when he saw Jesus walking on the water. He asked Jesus to tell him to come to Him on the water. He had to step out of that boat. He did but began to sink and Jesus caught him. But he got out of the boat. Risky?
For me personally I have been stretched in many ways but the most significant was when I became a Children’s Leader for my Bible Study (Bible Study Fellowship). When I was asked I struggled because it was so foreign to me. I had never even seen that aspect of the program and I don’t have children of my own. Besides that I was already busy and there is a lot of preparation involved in teaching and training the students. Risky?
The answer to all four situations above is a resounding “Yes!” However, the blessings far outweighed the risk involved in each of the above lives. For me, knowing that I am doing something outside of my comfort zone and ability causes me to see that God is truly enabling me.
What is God asking of you right now? Maybe there is a strained relationship in your life and you know you need to make it right. Maybe God has placed someone on your heart that needs to hear about what God is doing in your life but you don’t want them to think you are a nut.
Yes, you will be uncomfortable. It’s a good idea to pray before taking a step of faith. It will help you to know that you are not alone and give you the confidence to take that step. Remembering this verse may help as well:
“We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
May God give you the faith you need today to take a risk, for your good and His glory!
Have a great day!
Melanie