Time to get Uncomfortable

I am very much reliant on basic comforts in my life like electricity, plumbing, transportation, modern medicine, my phone, and even WiFi!  These technologies can make my life healthier, richer, and allow me to see the world and meet new people. However, I can’t help but feel some disappointment in myself for being so dependent on these things.

As humans, we’re not designed to just sit back and consume life. Comfort is not the goal. We are designed to challenge ourselves mentally, spiritually, and physically.  If you’re like me, this statement feel right, and sounds intriguing, but I don’t know where to begin.

We can start by removing something (anything) that creates false comfort in our lives.  Try giving up a vises like social media, negative newscasts, Netflix, alcohol, comfort food, or wherever you find false comfort. The discomfort in giving something up can create room for growth. Then, we can challenge ourselves by doing something we don’t know we can do. Maybe it’s writing a song or running a marathon, learning a new skill, or starting a new career.  Maybe it’s making a difference in someone else’s life with a weekly phone call.

The Lord of the Rings stories carry powerful themes of pushing beyond one’s comfort. Tolkien shows us through the eyes of the simplest of creatures, the hobbit, that we can step outside our comfortable lives and live an adventure. Our adventures may not include dragons and magic, but we can explore ourselves, our faith, our communities, and we can impact the lives of others. It’s never too late to ask yourself, are you living your adventure?

God teaches us of suffering in Romans 5 3-4 “… suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us…”  Suffering literally leads to our character, yet sometimes our goals revolve around avoiding hardship.

So, ask yourself, are you too comfortable?