Reflecting the Son: Getting uncomfortable

It's after midnight and I can't sleep. I've been reading Katie Davis' book Kisses from Katie and am questioning what is holding me back from completely throwing myself at God in complete abandonment and giving up everything to follow Him as His disciples did when Jesus called.

I'm sitting in my comfortable sweats in my comfortable bed, in my comfortable home on my comfortable street in comfort town, USA. I have everything I could ever need within the walls of my home and if that still wasn't enough I have an iPhone that can connect me to anything else I could ever ask for or imagine. I have an amazing family, friends and almost endless resources. Next Monday I start a full-time job I'm ridiculously excited about, next season I'll be covering Murray State basketball for the Associated Press again and in just more than six months I'll have a college degree. It's the American dream: go to college, get married and settle down to make money and kids.

But all of that is nothing without Christ. Everything is empty and meaningless and has no significance apart from the Lord breathing grace into our vain lives and plans (even the best laid ones... but you know what they say about those).

I am completely confident God has me exactly where He wants me and I could not be happier than to love on the middle and high school girls at my church and point them to the cross day in and day out, but in doing so I've not been granted permission to get comfortable.

We were not called to comfort. We were called to obedience. And most often that means getting uncomfortable.

Here is an excerpt of Katie's book:

When I imagine God creating each one of us and planting a purpose deep in our hearts, I never imagine that purpose being mediocrity. While the Bible doesn't tell every person on earth specifically what his or her life's calling will be, it does include a lot of general direction:

"You are to find Me in the least of these." Yes.

"You are to leave your earthly possessions and come follow Me." Yes.

"You are to love and serve the Lord God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself." Yes.

"You are to go and make disciples of all nations." Yes.

"You are to entertain strangers and lepers and tax collectors." Yes.

"You are to show mercy." Yes.

"You are to live a life of mediocrity and abundance, holding tight to your comfortable lifestyle, lest you lose it." No.

I don't think so. "Mediocrity and abundance" aren't there. However, mediocrity and abundance, comfort and ease do seem to be safe choices for many people, myself included. In stark contrast, leaving our possessions, following Jesus when we don't have a well-defined plan, and entertaining strangers--well, that does sound a little scary. But what if, just beyond that risk, just beyond the fear is a life better than anything we have ever imagined: life to the fullest.

We are not called to a life of mediocrity because with Christ there is no such thing. We are called to get uncomfortable because when that happens we discover He is our source of comfort. We are called to be patient in affliction because when that happens we discover He is our source of help. We are called to sacrifice our lives because He sacrificed His.

Don't gain the world and lose your soul. Don't settle for a life of mediocrity and comfort. God is bigger than your comfort zone and He wants to use you in His glorious work of redeeming the nations, including the one you're in. You don't have to sell all your belongings, pack a suitcase and fly to a third world nation and live in poverty in order to be uncomfortable or make a difference for His Kingdom. No, He can use you right where you are, but you must be willing to be uncomfortable.

The funny thing is, when we are uncomfortable for His sake we soon find more comfort than we could ever have known. Crazy how obeying Jesus' commands brings more joy than doing things our own way. He really does know what He's talking about.