Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it. Ezra 10:4 (ESV)
I want to talk to you today about being uncomfortable.
Most of us put on the brakes when we get to the edge of what feels comfortable, but if we never leave our comfort zones, we can become stagnant in everything we could be doing for God. Change and growth takes place in the uncomfortable zone!
As believers, it’s important that we don’t automatically think of discomfort as a stop sign or assume that any level of unease must be God saying, “No.” Now, Holy Spirit will give us a check in our spirit if it is a “no”. But we need to learn to discern whether it’s God or our own fear and pride that’s stopping us. For example, I remember asking someone to take the stage one time to make an announcement, and they politely declined. It’s not that they couldn’t do it, it just made them uncomfortable.
Truthfully, I’ve rarely felt comfortable doing something new for the first time. I certainly wasn’t comfortable speaking in front of a congregation for the first time or expanding to multiple church sites or becoming the CEO of a television station!
I’m certainly not saying that God orchestrates sickness, trauma or tragedy. However, sometimes a season of transition—perhaps a time of tough decision-making or intimidating new challenges—may be necessary to take to you to the next level or to achieve a purpose for your life that you might not have realized.
If you want change in life, from relationships to career to business, realize it’s okay to be uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s just what you need to move toward the great plans God has for you!