Do you have a comfort zone?

I do.

I’m comfortable sitting at my desk writing my stories.
I’m comfortable teaching my students online from the comfort of my home.
I’m comfortable going about my daily life, just trying to make it to the next day without my to do list getting the better of me.
I’m comfortable hauling my children from one activity to the next.

Lately I’ve realized I’ve become very complacent. I’m happy with my life and the way things are. Happy in the sense that I know pretty much what each day is going to hold. There are no real surprises.

It occurred to me that this can also be known as a rut.

And you know what? I like my rut. I’m comfortable there.

Unfortunately (or probably FORTUNATELY), I don’t think God is comfortable with my comfortable-ness.

And thus I feel convicted. Not condemned or judged, just…convicted.

Because getting out of my comfortable comfort zone means I’m going to be–uncomfortable. And I don’t like that.

Then again, I don’t suppose Jesus was very comfortable hanging on that cross. But he did it. For me.

Getting out of my comfort zone requires energy. I don’t have a lot of energy. But if I’m in His will, I’m trusting he’s going to provide that energy. I’m imagine when Jesus spent hours and hours preaching, reaching, and healing those who needed him, he got pretty tired. I know he is God, but when he walked the earth, he was also human. He even tried to get away to rest, remember?

Mark 6:31 says:
New Living Translation
Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

Jesus and his disciples were weary. They’d been working hard with the people and hadn’t even taken the time to eat.

And where was Jesus when the storm came up while he and the disciples were on the ocean? He was sleeping.

I point this out to you to show you that Jesus got out of his comfort zone, He understands fatigue. He also took the time to refresh himself. I believe if we are walking in his will, he will provide times of rest and refreshment. He’ll also provide many opportunities to step up and step out, to be uncomfortable and maybe even awkward. But that’s okay because He also calls us to be obedient.

So what sparked this sense of introspection or self realization? There have been several incidences. But one that really got to me was Lori Roeleveld’s latest blog post.

http://loristanleyroeleveld.blogspot.com/2014/03/theyll-be-dead-by-morning-what.html?m=1

There are people ask over the world who are telling other people about Jesus. And risking death to do so.

That’s pretty powerful. That made me think.

And it made me a bit uncomfortable with my comfort zone.

How about you?

What are you willing to do to bring people to Jesus?

Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone?