I know I have shared with you, more than once, that my favorite season is summer. I really enjoy the warm, sunny days when you don’t have to bundle up in 20 layers of clothes just to step outside.
But I have to admit there is one thing about the cooler (or right now…frigid) weather that I look forward to and that is Sunday afternoons. The reason is because I love to come home from church and put on my sweatpants and sweatshirt and relax. Now I can come home and relax on most Sunday afternoons regardless of what the weather is outside, but there is just something about being able to wear those clothes that make it even nicer.
Why do those clothes make my afternoon better? Because they are so comfortable. They are soft and baggy and don’t bind me anywhere. They’re warm and cozy and I don’t have to worry that they will wrinkle if I kick back in my recliner and take a nap in them. When I have them on, I don’t care if I make a fashion statement and honestly, I really don’t even care if they match! To sum it up…they are easy. I know when I am wearing them, I can just unwind and not expect too much from myself.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every moment of every hour of every day were that way? Complete relaxation. Never have to push ourselves to do anything. Never have to care if we accomplish anything or do anything to impact anyone else’s life. Never have to worry that something or someone will come along to put a “wrinkle” in our day.
This may sound wonderful…but if we were honest…a life like this would be rather shallow. It would be a life centered on us and what makes us comfortable. We would miss out on the blessings that are received when we stop dwelling on us and do something to make someone else’s life a little easier. We would surely become stagnant in our walk with Christ because our focus would be inward instead of outward.
I read something that made me start thinking about all of this. The quote said: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” What a convicting statement. If we are always only willing to do what makes us comfortable, we will miss out on the life that Christ has planned for us. He has more waiting for us than we can ever imagine and even though it may include some hills and valleys and detours that we don’t expect…it will be much more fulfilling than any afternoon in the recliner.
So, my question to you is, “How comfortable are you?” If you are really comfortable day in and day out…you just might want to reevaluate your walk with Christ. Are you listening to Him and following His directions for your journey? Or are you content to just kick back and only do what is the easiest and makes you feel the best?
Life is so short and today is the day that we need to step out of our comfort zone and begin living for Him instead of us. If we don’t, we just might fall asleep and miss out on the adventure He has planned to make us look more like Him!
“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said,
“If any of you wants to be my follower,
you must turn from your selfish ways,
take up your cross, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake
and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”
Mark 8:34-35 (NLT)
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