You know the worst feeling ever.. when you hear someone say, “Get out of your comfort zone.” And I’m over here like I LOVE MY COMFORT ZONE. It’s nice and cozy and warm.
You know what’s even worse.. when that phrase is coming from God. There are literally no boundaries when he says it to you. It can mean anything.
I went to church today. YAY. I love church. It is a place where my creative juices soar. I walked in and knew today would be different. Well, Ella and I walked in too late for the first service so we left, got coffee, and came back for the 11am service. God intervening? I’d like to think so.
The series is called kingdom journeys and I’m like yassssss. Something I can use you know? I am about to go on this AMAZING kingdom journey.
The preacher read the passage and then said take nothing for the journey…
And I’m sitting there like.. well.. CHECK. I’m living out of a tent and bag for a year so I think that is considered nothing.
But it went so much deeper then that. The passage is Mark 6:6-12 if you would like to read it yourself.
It starts off with God saying, hey I need you to go out into these towns with nothing. Now, I don’t want you guys to look like dirty drifters, but I don’t want you guys to have food, money, or anything extra.
That’s harsh Jesus. Like no snacks? Nothing? But he wanted the disciples to feel the urgency of following through with this task. Go out two by two and find someone who will be open to you. You will serve them, but you need them to survive so they will feel needed and will be open to what you have to say. It’s this shameless audacity that makes people want to provide and help out.
We get super focused on the stuff we have and need, that we forget people. Even today Ella called me out for being on my phone while we sat and drank coffee. We have this stuff and it makes us forget the most important thing, relationships, people.
Jesus wanted his 12 to be dependent on him. I can honestly say that there are places in my life where I don’t depend on God whatsoever. I live a life dependent on myself. Then, God said hey.. you know that comfort zone I wanted you out of? Ya.. get out of it right now.
Then, the world race happened! He has taken me by the shoulders like you would to someone to try and get there attention.
I am constantly uncomfortable. I have to figure out ways to get donations. I have to trust God ALL THE TIME. Every post, every blog, every day I have to trust God.
I have to take risks. When we are patient and willing to be used, God opens up this whole other area that we would have completely missed if we were not dependent on him. That’s all he wanted. I feel like we don’t think that God will follow through or that he might forget about us. He promises to take care of our needs, so why are we second guessing him?
Be a risk taker.
High risk=High reward.
If it’s something that makes you uncomfortable.. do it. Put yourself out there with nothing and see what God does! Let’s stop playing it safe. Let’s choose to trust that God knows what he’s doing and if he’s made a promise to you, no matter what it is.. I know he will come through.
Who knows? This thing that might seem uncomfortable now, can change people’s lives. All you have to do is to depend on God.
