Uncomfortability builds FAITH
Hello Everyone, Someone, Anyone.
Today is Thursday, June 18th, another day that the Lord has made. We should all be grateful for another opportunity to walk, talk and be. God saw fit to assign an angel to each of us to wake us and shake us. Mercies were renewed at dawn, and we are all a product of God's continued grace and mercy!
This week's blog topic:
~Uncomfortability Builds Faith
was birthed during a conversation with a fellow choir member.
"Comfortability KILLS" - is a concept I learned more than a decade ago. It was not under the realm of a spiritual environment, but it so applies. We are creatures of habit and we like to feel comfortable in our surroundings. We like things in their proper place and like to know or accurately anticipate what's next... so we can plan accordingly.
The concept that "Comfortability KILLS" is highly thought provoking as the word "comfortable" would imply a "good" state. When you examine the concept closely what it really communicates is that a state of comfortable can be a hindrance as complacency can easily set it, hence keeping us from challenging ourselves or taking on new challenges that will foster growth in various areas of our lives.
I know that as I continue on this "FAITH" journey, I am often uncomfortable and instinctively, I want to run back to a place of "comfortable", a place where I can shelter myself and feel safe in the confines of a false sense of security with self.
For example, back in 2006, I left my family, what was considered home for most of my life, my job, my friends and all that I knew, to come to Indianapolis and begin a new life. Well, that blew up pretty quickly. I immediately became uncomfortable, as I really didn't know many people, and was not at all familiar with this "new" land that I had migrated to. I no longer had a job, but I was working as an entrepreneur, doing pretty well, with a brand new home (mortgage), new car (car note)... a new life in an unfamiliar place. Instinctively, I cried many a days and nights and wanted to go back home to what was comfortable.
I am grateful for the people that God strategically aligned to speak faith into my life, and soon became very aware that although the plan wasn't God ordained, it was definitely God allowed and would be used by God. The more uncomfortable I became, the more I prayed and asked God to show me how to believe Him, how to seek Him for EVERYTHING. We often seek the hand of God (i.e., what God can do and provide for us.) Today, I seek His face. I grow to know Him better each and everyday for Who He is for me, and it's personal. I don't know where He's taking me, but I know where I've been and what He's brought me through. Indeed, God is faithful, and His faithfulness has taught me faithfulness in the midst of my uncomfortability.
The word of God has become a force for me, as I study the scriptures, I gain a better understanding that I am exactly where God wants me to be. He wants me to understand that He is my source, and I now know that my uncomfortability is God's way of processing and pruning me for DESTINY.
I studied the story of Abraham over and over again. I compared my process to what God did with Abraham back in the Old Testament. God told Abraham to "get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee ~ Genesis 12:1 ". Abraham's obedience, faith and endurance set Him up for the GREATER of God. I began to understand how Abraham's sacrifice and obedience positioned him for what God had for him; the reward for his faithfulness.
I became solely dependent on God for peace, provision, comfort, love, and my daily sustenance. It's all preparation for my nexts and my yets. My daily bread (sustenance), protection and provision continues to be a walk of faith. I get up everyday believing that God will bring forth what I need to maintain. I focus less on what I need and more on what I have and what I have for certain is a covenant with God, His promise for provision, His promise for greater, and the shed blood of Christ who died that we may life an life more abundantly.
Is it uncomfortable sometimes, YES!
But I've come too far to turn back. When I feel uncomfortable, God positions someone or something to remind me that "it is in Him, that I live, move and have my being". ~ Acts 17:28
Do I still feel like running sometimes, YES!
1. It's a feeling and it will pass
2. Wherever I go I take me with me
It's time to stick and stay; STAND. Again God is strategic, and there's always an angel with a word to minister to me or the Holy Spirit will bring to my remembrance that it's time to stop running and STAND in the midst of my struggles.
So now's the time to change our natural thinking. Spiritually, uncomfortability is a good thing, as it fosters growth. Think about the stages of our physical growth. We endured awkward stages as we entered into the different phases of growth and development... from newborn to adult. The same holds true spiritually.
COMFORTABILITY KILLS;
UNCOMFORTABILITY BUILDS FAITH!
Uncomfortably yours,
~ Deneen
A Woman Assigned
For more in-depth reading, here's and interesting and relevant article:
Uncomfortability, by Peter Hill
http://ministries.cpm-e.com/devotionals/docs/08-06-05.pdf
Today is Thursday, June 18th, another day that the Lord has made. We should all be grateful for another opportunity to walk, talk and be. God saw fit to assign an angel to each of us to wake us and shake us. Mercies were renewed at dawn, and we are all a product of God's continued grace and mercy!
This week's blog topic:
~Uncomfortability Builds Faith
was birthed during a conversation with a fellow choir member.
"Comfortability KILLS" - is a concept I learned more than a decade ago. It was not under the realm of a spiritual environment, but it so applies. We are creatures of habit and we like to feel comfortable in our surroundings. We like things in their proper place and like to know or accurately anticipate what's next... so we can plan accordingly.
The concept that "Comfortability KILLS" is highly thought provoking as the word "comfortable" would imply a "good" state. When you examine the concept closely what it really communicates is that a state of comfortable can be a hindrance as complacency can easily set it, hence keeping us from challenging ourselves or taking on new challenges that will foster growth in various areas of our lives.
I know that as I continue on this "FAITH" journey, I am often uncomfortable and instinctively, I want to run back to a place of "comfortable", a place where I can shelter myself and feel safe in the confines of a false sense of security with self.
For example, back in 2006, I left my family, what was considered home for most of my life, my job, my friends and all that I knew, to come to Indianapolis and begin a new life. Well, that blew up pretty quickly. I immediately became uncomfortable, as I really didn't know many people, and was not at all familiar with this "new" land that I had migrated to. I no longer had a job, but I was working as an entrepreneur, doing pretty well, with a brand new home (mortgage), new car (car note)... a new life in an unfamiliar place. Instinctively, I cried many a days and nights and wanted to go back home to what was comfortable.
I am grateful for the people that God strategically aligned to speak faith into my life, and soon became very aware that although the plan wasn't God ordained, it was definitely God allowed and would be used by God. The more uncomfortable I became, the more I prayed and asked God to show me how to believe Him, how to seek Him for EVERYTHING. We often seek the hand of God (i.e., what God can do and provide for us.) Today, I seek His face. I grow to know Him better each and everyday for Who He is for me, and it's personal. I don't know where He's taking me, but I know where I've been and what He's brought me through. Indeed, God is faithful, and His faithfulness has taught me faithfulness in the midst of my uncomfortability.
The word of God has become a force for me, as I study the scriptures, I gain a better understanding that I am exactly where God wants me to be. He wants me to understand that He is my source, and I now know that my uncomfortability is God's way of processing and pruning me for DESTINY.
I studied the story of Abraham over and over again. I compared my process to what God did with Abraham back in the Old Testament. God told Abraham to "get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee ~ Genesis 12:1 ". Abraham's obedience, faith and endurance set Him up for the GREATER of God. I began to understand how Abraham's sacrifice and obedience positioned him for what God had for him; the reward for his faithfulness.
I became solely dependent on God for peace, provision, comfort, love, and my daily sustenance. It's all preparation for my nexts and my yets. My daily bread (sustenance), protection and provision continues to be a walk of faith. I get up everyday believing that God will bring forth what I need to maintain. I focus less on what I need and more on what I have and what I have for certain is a covenant with God, His promise for provision, His promise for greater, and the shed blood of Christ who died that we may life an life more abundantly.
Is it uncomfortable sometimes, YES!
But I've come too far to turn back. When I feel uncomfortable, God positions someone or something to remind me that "it is in Him, that I live, move and have my being". ~ Acts 17:28
Do I still feel like running sometimes, YES!
1. It's a feeling and it will pass
2. Wherever I go I take me with me
It's time to stick and stay; STAND. Again God is strategic, and there's always an angel with a word to minister to me or the Holy Spirit will bring to my remembrance that it's time to stop running and STAND in the midst of my struggles.
So now's the time to change our natural thinking. Spiritually, uncomfortability is a good thing, as it fosters growth. Think about the stages of our physical growth. We endured awkward stages as we entered into the different phases of growth and development... from newborn to adult. The same holds true spiritually.
COMFORTABILITY KILLS;
UNCOMFORTABILITY BUILDS FAITH!
Uncomfortably yours,
~ Deneen
A Woman Assigned
For more in-depth reading, here's and interesting and relevant article:
Uncomfortability, by Peter Hill
http://ministries.cpm-e.com/devotionals/docs/08-06-05.pdf
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