Thinking today about comfort. For me there are two kinds of comfort. There is the comfort that I love...the ordinary. The kind where I don't have to reach outside of my comfort zone. Then there is the comfort that God pushes me to. The kind where I don't really want to go BUT it is a place I am comfortable with as well.
Of course, like with a lot of things of God, that doesn't appear to make sense. But, it makes perfect sense. You see, I think most of us would say that the ordinary comfort is what we love most. Why? Because it is easy. Because it is what we know. That kind of comfort is the kind we simply sit back and give no thought to. It is ordinary...it is what we know....it is almost always the kind of comfort where we are with those who make us most comfortable.
Then there is the kind of comfort God pushes us to. I say "pushes" us to because it really does take a push, in essence, to get us moving forward. God is always with us leading us along, but, we also must pay attention to what He is doing.
Our whole life is a journey with God. A journey He places us on upon our birth and a journey He knows all about. His Word tells us in Psalm 139:16 that, "all the days ordained for us were written in His book before one came to be." He knows exactly where we are going. He knows exactly what choices we will make....right ones and wrong ones. Through them all He is with us continually teaching us. In Romans 8:28 we read that "all things work together for good for those who love Him and were called according to His purpose." God can, and does, use the circumstances of our life to grow us stronger in Him....to give us more strength in Him and to use us for His purposes and plan. You see, even those horrible times in our lives, God is working for our good. We absolutely may never know why we must go through what we do, but we only have to know that He knows why and not only SHOULD we trust Him (that sounds hard) we CAN trust Him (that sounds easy). We CAN because God is a loving God. In Jeremiah 29:11 our God tells us this...."I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.... "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." We would all agree that our God does not lie. This is what He says so we CAN trust Him.
Looking back over the course of my journey, I can see the error of MANY of my ways. I can see the wrong choices I've made MANY times. However, I can also see how God has never left me. I can see how His Hand has been upon me and has been at work in my life. Saying that, I will also say that I can recall the times I have turned my back on God because I was sure He wasn't with me. I was sure He couldn't be "working good" in my life because everything was falling apart in my life. But, looking back I can see that I may have turned my back on Him but HE NEVER LEFT ME. He continually used what I was going through to "grow me up" in Him. He was always their pointing me to His Word where He speaks to us. And through all of this, I can see how He literally has been "pushing" me to get out of my comfort zone and rest in a new comfort. The kind of comfort that truly does bring my heart the most joy but the kind where we have to literally get out there and "do" and THAT is never comfortable. Not only isn't it comfortable but it is scary and would be way easier to go back to the "ordinary."
As I am learning to trust Him and His Hand on my life, He is "pushing" me to new places. It is a comfort that isn't comfortable. It's a comfort that I love. It's a comfort that brings me great joy. It's comfortable to sit back and soak up His love, sing praises and pray. But what good is such joy when we hold it in for ourselves. God says, "go!" "Ummmm," no, that's ok God...I'm fine right here," I say.
Sometimes, when we look back, we are able to see how God has been preparing us. The "prepping" usually isn't the fun part of doing something but finally being able to "do" whatever it is, is good. God has been prepping me, as He is you, all along and as comfortable as staying in the ordinary is, I am finding that the uncomfortable place is comfortable too. Even their, God is with me. Even their He continues to strengthen me and guide me along. This journey isn't about me at all but in bringing Glory to Him. As I muddle along, feeling like a "nobody" God says this in Matthew 6:33...."Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well." He gives me strength. He tells me I am loved and I am somebody in Him. And also, in Psalm 37:4 He says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I love that because He knows the desires of my heart and your heart too. When we "seek Him first" and "make Him our delight" He gives us what it is we need and want most. That "desire" is Him and more and more of Him.
So as I leave the ordinary comfort for that comfort that isn't always comfortable, I will continue to "seek Him" and "make Him my delight" and I know He will give me that strength, peace and comfort He promises.
