Are You Uncomfortable With Comfortable?
by Kylie Conn
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” - C.S. Lewis
Right now, I have a great paying job that gives me more than enough, I live in a nice house and I am very comfortable in my life. I am blessed beyond measure right now but just yesterday I was talking to God and telling him how uncomfortable I am!
Isn't that crazy? The world would look at my life and see satisfaction but to me that means nothing. You see, before this moment I have always lived a life of abundance. I would always "go to the well" and pray there would be something in there for me to take and to see it spilling over the edge frightened me at first. As time went on, I began to get used to seeing it, but that is what started to bother me.
I was living a life that was too comfortable for me. I took a step back one day and looked at myself, and thought, "If I lost my job or my house, would I still be satisfied? ... Would I yearn for this comfortability?" I have always been satisfied with whatever God gave me, less or more, it didn't matter. So I didn't want to let any of my blessings change that. I am not called to live a comfortable life, I am called to live a life that is filled with trials and tribulations, and I wouldn't want to have it any other way. Strange, right? Not if you really think about it.
God is an all-powerful God, he can use anything and anyone. But he loves to use the needy, the broken and rejected of the world. There are more pieces He can build from the broken rubble, and God is out to build his empire through you and with you.
He did this with Peter, who ended up changing the course of history in the church. Peter was one of Jesus's 12 disciples and he had a great heart but made many mistakes. Peter was just a fisherman when Jesus came to him and said, "Let me make you a fisher of men." Can you imagine what Peter was thinking at that moment? Jesus was basically asking Peter to leave the comfortable life he had chosen to follow a man who claimed to be the "Messiah" and help save a bunch of lives. A fisherman...saving lives? HA! Nice one, Jesus. But what did Peter do? He walked in faith. He left that comfortable life behind and chose to follow a king who dressed like a peasant and spoke of an invisible kingdom. In this day and age, we would call that mental illness.
Fast forward to when the 12 disciples were fighting for their lives on a boat in a raging storm. To only look ahead and see a "ghost" walking towards them. Everyone on that boat, except Peter became fearful in that moment. But Peter stood up, squinted his eyes in the stinging pouring rain, and yelled, "Jesus, is that you!?" He couldn't tell for sure what was out there, but he had just witnessed Jesus feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes and bread, so he decided to trust him. "Come," Jesus said. So you know...Peter just decided to climb over the boat where he was safe and comfortable, and walk on massive water waves toward this figure. The disciples are behind him screaming "Yo, Peter what are you doing man!? Why are you walking towards the ghost!?"
Even though Peter couldn't see Jesus, he knew his voice and obeyed. That's called faith, my friends. As Peter's friends in the boat behind him were yelling "Come back!" Peter lost his focus. He turned his eyes away from Jesus and realized he was in a storm! Suddenly he wasn't safe anymore, he wasn't comfortable -- he was scared! Right as fear slipped in, so did Peter. Sinking deep in the blackness. Yet, Jesus was right there to catch him and keep him from drowning.
Jesus didn't call Peter to live a comfortable life, and he hasn't called you to live one either. There is a reason I was born into the life I have, God wants to use me to help deliver his people from the slavery of sin. To walk right up to the Devil and say "Let God's people go." I am a freedom fighter, and true freedom for me is relying on God for everything I have, not a paycheck, or a car, or anything else really.
Don't be afraid to step out in faith like Peter, because of no matter what you feel Jesus will be right there to catch you. It's time for this generation to rise up and stand up for truth. We are going to break the spirit of fear on our nation, we are going to stand up to racial issues, human trafficking, the foster care system, school shootings, etc. We are going to leave comfortable because comfortable is not always profitable.
Kylie Conn writes articles on real world issues over at www.throughhereyesdot.wordpress.com! You will find the home you never had, broken healing hearts, and treasures you never knew existed through her writings! You can follow her journey here: Instagram: @officialkylieconn Facebook: Kylie Conn
