Few people love to step out of their comfort zone. Most of us enjoy feeling comfy where we are…doing what we always do…when we always do it. So, when the Lord starts telling us it is time to get out of those cozy surroundings because He has something new for us to do…fear and anxiety can easily overwhelm us. Trust me…I’ve been there many times and I’m confident I could lead a group called C.Z.Anonymous (aka Comfort Zone Anonymous).
It gives me reassurance though to know there were those in the Bible who weren’t crazy about pushing the boundaries in their lives either. Remember Moses? When he was told to lead his people out of Egypt…he struggled to believe he could do it since he had murdered an Egyptian and was rejected by his Hebrew brothers. He worried that the people wouldn’t believe him or even listen to him because he wasn’t good at public speaking.
Then there was Jeremiah. God wanted him to be a speaker and warn the people of their sins and the punishment to come. Jeremiah resisted the call and said he was too young and didn’t know how to speak.
Did God agree with them and let them off the hook? No, He didn’t. For Moses, he allowed his brother Aaron to speak for him. For Jeremiah, God told him He would put the words in his mouth for him to say. He told him not to worry because He would be with him and protect him. God never gave up on either of them and whatever Moses and Jeremiah needed to carry out His plans…God provided.
There are many others in the Bible, but what about you and me? How willing are we to do whatever God calls us to do? What excuses can we come up with so that hopefully God will realize He chose the wrong person? I don’t know about you…but I usually have a pretty “ready” list to recite back my objections.
What if Moses and Jeremiah had just stayed in their comfort zones and rejected God’s call? Could God have accomplished His plan without them? Of course He could have. But what blessings would they have missed because they didn’t follow God’s perfect plan for them?
What if you and I choose to stay in our comfort zones and reject God’s call? This is a question I am currently asking myself. I believe He is using these days of turbulence, to speak to each one of us concerning what we can do to make a difference…what we can do to further His kingdom. We have a world full of people who desperately need to see Jesus and if they don’t see Him in us…they may never see Him at all.
God is speaking. But if I’m honest, I have to admit that at first, I immediately pulled out my list of objections…hoping maybe He would choose someone else. But He hasn’t given up on me and continues to whisper His plan and now I’m starting to get excited…and scared spitless! But I will continue to listen and allow Him to guide me every step of the way.
How about you? I’m confident God is speaking, and it will be up to you as to whether you choose to listen. I want to encourage you to take the next step in His plan and let Him worry about all the things that have you scared spitless. If He could help Moses and Jeremiah with the huge tasks that were put before them…and if He could help me preach on that Sunday many years ago (especially in front of my mentor!)…He surely can help you!
Jesus looked at them intently and said,
“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God.
Everything is possible with God.”
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