I have to admit when Pastor Jason started going through the stages of spiritual maturity, I sat up a little bit in my chair quietly thinking, “Oh I have to be pretty far down the stages…”
Well hello pride, I didn’t know you would be joining me at church today!
But the funny thing is, the very first point he got into was about spiritual babies — relaying that those who are still babies in the faith will often not want to sacrifice comfort — whether that be in the specific groups they hang around, the same chair they like to sit in, or the familiar routines of “taking” instead of giving.
Ouch. Pride…you can exit through the door on the left.
Sure, I might be spiritually mature in some areas, but man do I struggle with loving comfort! This point certainly hit home.
You see, comfort has become a way of life for me in many ways. In Orange County, it’s easy to stay in our bubble and enjoy the luxuries of living here and the safety it brings. I even enjoy great comfort in my relationships, talking to and enjoying the company of like-minded people. When it comes to my book choices, I often reach for authors that agree with my viewpoints entirely. Maybe you can relate? Comfort feels just so…comfortable.
But what I don’t want to do, and I fear you don’t want to either…is to live a life that is just “safe” at the sacrifice of my calling.
In fact, I think God would much prefer that we get uncomfortable for the sake of the gospel. That we step beyond the familiar parameters of comfort and enter into the unknown, armed with only our faith and Bible in hand.
It was particularly beautiful hearing the testimonies of those who had returned from the El Salvador mission trip. They had stepped out into the uncomfortable, only to be rewarded with something much greater…an increase in faith. You could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices…by stepping out, they had experienced the goodness of God.
It wasn’t safety and comfort that led them there, it was a willingness to do something outside of that familiar territory.
As we were challenged this Sunday to become “spiritual parents” and to “Go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28), I have to wonder if we might need to ask God: what kind of comfort do you want me to sacrifice to get there? Where are you calling me to go deeper?
In the unknown, let us cling closely to His great promise that He will “be with us to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). No matter how uncomfortable it gets, He is always there.
Well hello pride, I didn’t know you would be joining me at church today!
But the funny thing is, the very first point he got into was about spiritual babies — relaying that those who are still babies in the faith will often not want to sacrifice comfort — whether that be in the specific groups they hang around, the same chair they like to sit in, or the familiar routines of “taking” instead of giving.
Ouch. Pride…you can exit through the door on the left.
Sure, I might be spiritually mature in some areas, but man do I struggle with loving comfort! This point certainly hit home.
You see, comfort has become a way of life for me in many ways. In Orange County, it’s easy to stay in our bubble and enjoy the luxuries of living here and the safety it brings. I even enjoy great comfort in my relationships, talking to and enjoying the company of like-minded people. When it comes to my book choices, I often reach for authors that agree with my viewpoints entirely. Maybe you can relate? Comfort feels just so…comfortable.
But what I don’t want to do, and I fear you don’t want to either…is to live a life that is just “safe” at the sacrifice of my calling.
In fact, I think God would much prefer that we get uncomfortable for the sake of the gospel. That we step beyond the familiar parameters of comfort and enter into the unknown, armed with only our faith and Bible in hand.
It was particularly beautiful hearing the testimonies of those who had returned from the El Salvador mission trip. They had stepped out into the uncomfortable, only to be rewarded with something much greater…an increase in faith. You could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices…by stepping out, they had experienced the goodness of God.
It wasn’t safety and comfort that led them there, it was a willingness to do something outside of that familiar territory.
As we were challenged this Sunday to become “spiritual parents” and to “Go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28), I have to wonder if we might need to ask God: what kind of comfort do you want me to sacrifice to get there? Where are you calling me to go deeper?
In the unknown, let us cling closely to His great promise that He will “be with us to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). No matter how uncomfortable it gets, He is always there.
Erika Pizzo
Erika is an author of various books on the topics of faith, mental health, and victory in Christ. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach and a chai latte in hand.