Stepping out of our comfort zones can be difficult, unnerving, and outright frightening at times. Yes, we all are creatures of habit and do not like being put in situations that will make us feel uneasy, uncertain, or uncomfortable. It is easy to sit back and play it safe and let fear and anxiety hold us captive.
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."
2 Timothy 1:7-9 KJV
There are many great stories throughout the bible of men and women who were led by God to step out of their comfort zones and walk in obedience. I often reflect on Peter, in Matthew 14, when Jesus called him out of the boat to come to Him on the water. Peter stepped out on faith. He trusted Jesus. It was only when Peter took his eyes off of Him, that he began to sink.
We must learn to keep our eyes on the Lord no matter what the situation or the circumstances surrounding us may be.
In my walk with God, I have had to step out of my comfort zone several times, and creating this website was one of them. This was not an easy decision and was met with a lot of hesitation and reluctancy……not that I did not trust God—I doubted myself. Honestly, I didn’t feel qualified and the fear of rejection was real, but God quickly reminded me of how He is rejected daily and to trust in my abilities.
This website has been up for over a month now and even, after having published several blog posts, I still wrestle with the enemy. He tries his best to plant seeds of doubt to distract and discourage me from writing. It gets hard sometimes, and in those moments, I have to stop, pray, and seek God’s guidance because I know that this assignment is bigger than me and is greater than I could ever imagine.
Step out on faith and trust God; above all else.
Being willing to put your life on display for the world to judge…...even though they do it anyway….is not an easy task. In the age of social media, many are eager to boast and share the good parts of their lives that will make them appear in a positive light……but what do you do when God calls you to share the bad or not so good parts of your life? Will you obey or ignore His commands? Or will you surrender to your flesh in fear of the unknown?
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24
Failing to push ourselves pass our fears, may cause us shy away from our callings and stay in a place of complacency and stagnation and ultimately miss out on opportunities to be greatly used by God. Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and go to unfamiliar territories, minister, or witness to strangers and even those who may have hurt, mistreated, or spoken badly about you? Are you willing to stand alone or walk alone—even if it is just you and God?
As true believers in Christ, we must be willing to walk boldly for Him, for the advancement of His kingdom. We must be good stewards of the gifts that God has given us and be willing to use them in whatever capacity that He sees fit. Be determined to stay the course and do whatever God asks of us, even if others may not like it, approve of it, support it, or understand it. When our faith is all that we have left, we have no other choice but to stand on the Promises of God. Trusting in His plan and His purpose. Being confident that He will never leave us, nor forsake us.
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