Comfort Zones

Let's talk about our personal little bubble we call the "comfort zone." The comfort zone can be both the best and most convicting place. After all, we are content within our comfort zone. We are safe. As a matter of fact, it is often our happy place. Consider this: What does the comfort zone accomplish? If you really think about it, you may realize that there is no growth inside this safe place. We are not challenged. I think many people will agree with me in saying that stepping outside our comfort zone can be extremely difficult. It can be even more difficult to step outside our comfort zone when we feel God calling us to do so. However, "it's hard to grow your faith inside your comfort zone."

I believe the main reason we fear stepping outside our comfort zone is the fact that we fear the unknown. Most of the times we step outside our comfort zone, we don't know what the outcome will be. This can be absolutely terrifying to some people. I know I'm one of those people. The fear of the unknown is one of this most difficult fears to conquer. Joshua 1:9 states, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you will go." Life is all about having courage & confidently adventuring into the unknown. You must go throughout every day with this mindset: You can do hard things.

Quite recently, I have had to keep this in mind. For awhile, I have been trying to decide whether or not I would join my church for our mission trip to Germany. I was very adamant that was not going. Honestly, I feel like everyone expected me to go. When I started telling people that I wasn't planning on going, I began to receive the question of "why?" I came up with a million excuses, but I don't have time to make a list. I used every excuse you could possibly think of except for "I'm scared" and "I don't think I'm good enough." I used seemingly plausible excuses to cover my true reasoning. My anxiety, my insecurities. While no one else questioned me, I majorly questioned myself. Deep down, I could feel God tugging at my heart, whispering, "Go." After a week and a half full of prayers and denial, I turned in my mission trip application packet. "God is going to send you to places you don't feel qualified to go. God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called!" is a quote that really hit home for me. We are called to be the hands and feet of God. In order to fulfill this calling, we must go where He tells us to go and do what He tells us to do.

While I was trying to write this post, I came across an abundance of quotes and verses that I wanted to bring up. However, I could not figure out how to work them all into these paragraphs. So, I made a list consisting of all of them.

- "God often calls us to places that frighten us so that we will fully trust Him."

- "Rise up, take courage, and do it." Ezra 10:4

- "Don't let the fear of the unknown keep you from experiencing a life greater than you have ever known." Jeff McClung

- "Don't be afraid. Just believe." Mark 5:36

- "Our purpose is outside our comfort zone."

- "Let your faithfulness in God free you from the fear of the unknown." Carl Lentz