Thou shalt be comfortable is not one of the commandments......
Years and years ago I took a trip to India to help work on some adoption files and spend time with some children. I did 2 trips in a years' time that year and was really compelled by God to go and serve and love and come back to share what was happening there with Sarah's Covenant Homes. Many of my family and friends responded with love and support and also began to help the children there. The days before I left, on both trips, I was.....uncomfortable. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave home and all that was familiar and controlled......I did want to go where God was moving. I chose to say yes and I learned something. (Well, lots and lots of things, but primarily this:) It is ok to be uncomfortable. In fact, sometimes, it is just what God wants. I was hot and I was nervous and I was homesick and I was longing for ice in my water, food that sounded good to me, etc. The good Lord showed me that He longs to be with me when I am uncomfortable and to reveal things to me that cannot be known when I am constantly chasing my comforts.
We here, in the US are really good at chasing our comforts. If we are hungry, we go to the fridge or the cupboard or the drive through or the convenience store and we satisfy our desire. I should know. I did so today. If we are tired, we arrange for a nap or an early bedtime or we sleep in tomorrow. If we are stressed we take a vacation or schedule a massage. For me, and for many others, we do things all day to promote our own comfort and avoid feeling uncomfortable. Intrinsically, this is not harmful or sinful but when it becomes the focus of the day....and we step on someone else or ignore some other need or offend......then maybe being comfortable is a problem.
Claire leaves tomorrow morning at 3am. She is feeling rather uncomfortable today, knowing she will be anxious and it will be hard to go to sleep. She doesn't want to feel tired or ill. I would guess that everyone going on this trip to One Vision Haiti is feeling rather uncomfortable right now. Packing. Worrying. Planning. Last-minute shopping to try to prepare for every possible scenario. Right clothing. Right food. Right first aid. Right meds.
Claire and I have begun to have some conversations about being uncomfortable and vulnerable and not steady.....and that maybe, when God has called us to this thing, it is ok. We do not have to spend too much time or energy trying to fix everything to be just right. Maybe we swing our legs over the boat and dip our feet into the water just in case He asks us to walk on it. God is more than able and willing to use us when we don't have all our ducks in a row. He longs to minister to us and be with us and use us to advance His Kingdom, to gain souls for Heaven......just as we are.
Taking mission trips is uncomfortable. Sometimes stopping the craziness of the day to just worship and praise Him is uncomfortable. Letting the children wait so that I can sit down and write out some significant words makes them uncomfortable.....and I think that is ok once in awhile.
Fasting. Solitude. Meditation prayers. Missional living. Adoption. Foster care. Global orphan support and sponsorship and giving. Investing in the spiritual formation of our kids. Praying for our spouse. Tithing. Important things....uncomfortable things......worthy things when God is with us.
I am blowing my horn here to consider ways to become uncomfortable. Pray for others who are doing uncomfortable things that God has called them to......help where we can.
We here, in the US are really good at chasing our comforts. If we are hungry, we go to the fridge or the cupboard or the drive through or the convenience store and we satisfy our desire. I should know. I did so today. If we are tired, we arrange for a nap or an early bedtime or we sleep in tomorrow. If we are stressed we take a vacation or schedule a massage. For me, and for many others, we do things all day to promote our own comfort and avoid feeling uncomfortable. Intrinsically, this is not harmful or sinful but when it becomes the focus of the day....and we step on someone else or ignore some other need or offend......then maybe being comfortable is a problem.
Claire leaves tomorrow morning at 3am. She is feeling rather uncomfortable today, knowing she will be anxious and it will be hard to go to sleep. She doesn't want to feel tired or ill. I would guess that everyone going on this trip to One Vision Haiti is feeling rather uncomfortable right now. Packing. Worrying. Planning. Last-minute shopping to try to prepare for every possible scenario. Right clothing. Right food. Right first aid. Right meds.
Claire and I have begun to have some conversations about being uncomfortable and vulnerable and not steady.....and that maybe, when God has called us to this thing, it is ok. We do not have to spend too much time or energy trying to fix everything to be just right. Maybe we swing our legs over the boat and dip our feet into the water just in case He asks us to walk on it. God is more than able and willing to use us when we don't have all our ducks in a row. He longs to minister to us and be with us and use us to advance His Kingdom, to gain souls for Heaven......just as we are.
Taking mission trips is uncomfortable. Sometimes stopping the craziness of the day to just worship and praise Him is uncomfortable. Letting the children wait so that I can sit down and write out some significant words makes them uncomfortable.....and I think that is ok once in awhile.
Fasting. Solitude. Meditation prayers. Missional living. Adoption. Foster care. Global orphan support and sponsorship and giving. Investing in the spiritual formation of our kids. Praying for our spouse. Tithing. Important things....uncomfortable things......worthy things when God is with us.
I am blowing my horn here to consider ways to become uncomfortable. Pray for others who are doing uncomfortable things that God has called them to......help where we can.
Comments
Post a Comment