No one enjoys the comforts of home more than me. I am a homebody by nature and I love to be surrounded by the people and things that feed my well-being. I love working in sunlight streaming through my studio windows. I love cozy winter nights by my crackling fireplace with a soft blanket and a bowl of buttery popcorn. I love Saturday morning coffee on my swing with my hubby and I love hosting Bible Study in my home with my girlfriends. Family and friends, things of beauty, and all things safe and familiar are arenas I gravitate towards with massive magnetism. Home embodies all of those things for me and I believe God blesses us with these comforts to demonstrate His amazing love, to provide respite from our challenges, to give healing when we need it, and to refresh us for the work ahead.
But God’s ultimate goal for us here on earth is not to feather a permanent nest of comfort in our lives. He constantly provides our care, but He is much more concerned about our character than our comfort. And often, to build character, we must abandon our comfort and dare to step onto unfamiliar ground.
You usually know when God is asking you to take such a step. It often begins with that one out-on-a-limb thought that boldly flashes through your mind. It’s immediately followed by the “oh-my-gosh-please-don’t-ask-me-to-do-this-I-could-never” knee-jerk response and a growing pit-in-your stomach sensation. Your skin may begin to crawl a bit as you imagine just how far away from your comfort zone this scenario would take you and you may even break out in a cold sweat. But if you pause in the midst of all that adrenaline and panic and sense the still voice of God asking you to have faith, that’s the time —the precise moment —when you should hear the word “yes” coming out of your mouth. Because if God is prompting you out of your comfort zone, there’s something much more valuable than comfort at stake.
We may be standing on the edge of great growth in our life. This may be an opportunity for God to use us in a way we can’t even begin to imagine. In any case, a step of obedience to God’s call is a confirmation that we trust Him completely and we’re willing to follow where He leads. And that’s really the essence of faith itself - trusting God above and beyond the circumstances we can see.
“the essence of faith itself - trusting God above and beyond the circumstances we can see.”
Of course, this is where fear tries to squirm its way into the equation. It’s not easy stepping into something new and unknown. We are likely to encounter awkwardness, trials and, if we listen to our unbridled imaginations, endless scenarios of hardship and tribulation. Fear would like to paralyze us and keep us neatly within the bounds of the familiar. But, while it is true that most new ventures come with challenges, God promises to be with us every step of the way and to provide everything we need to carry out His plan. We do not need to succumb to fear. A step of faith in the presence of fear is an act of courage and an open invitation to learn and grow and stretch to new potential.
“A step of faith in the presence of fear is an act of courage and an open invitation to learn and grow and stretch to new potential.”
Leaving our comfort zone can feel like we’re throwing off the covers from a warm napping spot and plunging head-first into an ice-cold snowbank. It can be agonizing, stressful and sometimes downright brutal. But if God is asking us to do something, it is with His sovereign knowledge and His utmost care. You can be sure that eternal consequences hang in the balance. If fear has been holding you back from something God has called you to do, I urge you to be bold and take that step of faith. I can assure you that whatever the cost to follow Jesus, it is always well worth the price.
“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9