Comfort zones. We all have them right? Surely I'm not the ONLY one. They are called comfort zones, I think, because they ARE actually VERY comfortable. Healthy??? Not usually. But they are comfortable! They are familiar, they are "known". There are no surprises. They feel safe, hidden from change or challenge right? Much like the picture you see to the right, I've always loved this picture. There is much beauty to it from many different angles. But what I notice the most is how it relates to my own life. the familiar, safe, hidden shadows at the bottom of the staircase.
Now, we know there is life at the top of those stairs. We see the light. We know those stairs must reach "something" right? Could be wonderful. Exciting. Answers to prayers. But what if what's at the top of those stairs is scary, intimitating, rejects us, or worse....isn't what we thought or hoped it would be? It's the "BUT's" and "WHAT IF's" that generally keep us locked in our comfort zones.
If we really sit and think about it though.....isn't the even SCARIER thing NOT knowing what life could be waiting for us up there? I recently was blessed to hear a message from the incredible Hillsong Church Pastor Brian Houston about "Living the un-lived life" inside of us! This actually prompted this blog. Here's why......
I want to live my un-lived life. PERIOD! I don't want to miss a thing that Jesus may have for me while I'm on this eart! For years my passion has been writing. Not books, nothing fancy.....just my throughts, inspirations, passions and feelings. Be it's only been expressed in my private journals, be it on my Myspace (WHATSpace??? I know, this was YEARS ago...I've evolved, no worries), later on to Faceboook/Twitter post and now this. I've had many, many people tell me for years that I need to write. I don't quite know what that looks like for me. A book? A blog? A devotional? A columm? I really don't know. But I do though that over the past few years, I've learned that passions in our hearts, accompanied by promptings from the Holy Spirit to DO SOMETHING with those passions is not to be ignored.
In September 2010, the Lord gave birth to a passion that he'd hidden in my heart for a very long time. To begin leading a small group for women. With the goal of loving them and walking through life with them. Helping them find their indentity in Christ; helping restore them from brokenness and painful past; to help them see their absolute beauty; encouraging them & empowering them in the Lord! While the passion was there for a while, I dismissed it. Fear, lack of courage, etc.. BUT today He has blown my mind at what He has done with that passion! While I was scared and it took me a good minute to BE obedient.....I finally got OUT of my comfort zone and am forever changed because of it. You see, I considered myself "unqualified". But I didn't need to do anything but TRUST the Lord ability to work through me and be ready to act in love toward others! We are ALL qualified if we allow Christ to do HIS work through us. It's not about us.....at all. Understand that the LACK of qualifications we think we have, do not disqualify us as vessels for God!
I find myself at an all too familiar place again. THAT place. A passion, a desire followed by that "prompting". But don't quite know what to do with it. I don't want to be dismissive to the Lord again. EVER. And although I don't know what this is supposed to look like for me and what writing will actually be done, I'm stepping out of that shadow again, and taking a step. So.....it's starting here. I've found a place to "write", in a way that will hopefully be a blessing to others. Am I wired or destined to write a book? I don't know....but what I do know is that IF I am, God will lead me from here; this small step out of my comfort zone; to THERE, wherever that may be. If He's called me, He'll lead me.
So as I begin this journey and I open up my heart, thoughts, inspirations and feelings to this blog, I pray it pours out love and blessing you. That is serves it's purpose. With NO intention of sitting in front of my laptop tonight and setting up a website.....here it is! (Jesus did it! That's all I can say) Am I a little unsure, uneasy, even scared....you bet. But I'll never know where He wants to lead me if I don't move out of the shadows of my fears and start climbing those stairs!
What's stopping you from grabbing the banister and stepping OUT of the shadows that keep you in your comfort zone? Is it fear? Is it a past you need to deal with? Present struggles you need to work through so your vision can be cleared? Whatever the next step is for YOU, I encourage you to take the steps. If I can do it, you can. I believe in you, but more importantly..God believes in you! He has plans and a purpose for your very existance. Besides...if you slip or fall, you have the BEST security blanket to wrap you up, dust you off and set you on your way again. His name is Jesus!
Jeremiah 29:11 has changed my life and is a verse I live by among many. But by far my favorite verse. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us: " 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
We can trust that, we can walk confidently in that!
ysiC
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