I remember when I was a little girl we used to spend the summers down in the country. It was Regis, Melissa, Jason, and I. As we got older we received cuts and bruises while being rambunctious. To go along with those cuts and bruises some of us like Regis, whose head was harder than a brick, received several lashings with the fly swatter or the bottom of grandma’s shoe. The way I look at it whatever was in grandma’s reach; she was going to use to give you a popping.
As we got older and came into our pre-teen and teenage years we would have what the old folks call, growing pains. Growing pains is when you would have some minor aches due to “your bones stretching.” As your body started to develop or “fill out”, there would be certain aches and pains that went along with growth. It wasn’t the most bizarre thing that has ever happened but when you are going through it, it feels like torture.
Just as the pains of growing into young adulthood were agitating, so can the pain that comes along with being “set in your ways”, being content, comfortable, or complacent.
Today I want to speak briefly on how as humans we can get too comfortable that it takes some major for us to change our course of action.
I’ll use myself as an example. I was raised in a household with rules, structure, discipline, consequences, and most importantly love. When I graduated from high school I could have went buck wild because of the new found freedom but I would always hear daddy’s voice when I was about to make a stupid decision. Now don’t get me wrong, I had a hard head sometimes too, so that didn’t keep me from making some stupid decisions, but it helped me not be too crazy.
I mean daddy said don’t drink or smoke and gave reasons why I shouldn’t. I tested the waters- like most kids do. Though I had all the tools to go the way my parents intended me to; I still did my own things at times. Until I got myself in murky waters and needed my mom and daddy to come rescue me.
Does that sound familiar to you? Even as an adult, we test the waters and we expect our Heavenly Father to rescue us after we have blown pass all the warning signs and red tapes in life. Or on the other spectrum we are too scared of the unknown and don’t take any risks and life becomes boring and mundane.
I saw a post that I thought was fitting for todays message.
When God wants you to grow, He makes you uncomfortable.
Unknown Author
Do you agree or disagree? Let’s start a discussion….comment below and make sure to like todays post.
Reading the Bible we learn about seasons, we gain knowledge about purpose, God’s will, His timing, etc. Do we ever sit back and really think about how often we put God on a shelf when things are going good?! Some folks only pick up their Bible or pray when they are going through things. I’ll admit I’ve been one of those persons. It took me being in constant pain and suffering that I learned the importance and the requirement to praise and worship God in all ways.
Do you realize our growth in God normally occurs most when we have valley experiences? But often do we forget the struggle when we reach the top of the mountain. We need God! And although we may leave Him, He never leaves us. The Bible tells us He will never leave nor forsake us. Saints do you believe His word?
We are a very judgmental society although the Bible tells us not to judge. We think because he has a good job, a loving wife, both parents, his health is good, he lives in a big house, drives a nice car, etc….people assume he is happy and he is living the life. Money, status, and material possessions don’t amount to anything in Heaven so why do we put so much priority to these things? It is what a person has on the inside of him, his heart and soul; that really matters. The poorest man on Earth could be the richest man in Heaven because of his love for Christ, his obedience, his service, his devotion to God.
It might have taken the poor man loosing everything in regards to material possessions to realize how poor he was in spirit. In fact the poor man may be much happier than he has ever been in life (in his nothingness) because he is now focused on going after God’s own heart verses the latest BMW.
So to tie things back into todays subject (I pray you are still following me) whether we feel fully alive and vibrate or at our worst, we should always find a reason to show gratitude and thanksgiving to God. I know it is easier said than done but when we know better, we have to strive to do better.
Think about that child who learns how to ride a bike for the first time without the assistance of training wheels. There is a lot of fear and anxiety that comes along with that because you don’t want to get hurt and you definitely don’t want to fall. But think about the joy that comes after you face your fears and that child is gone in the wind on that bicycle.
The Bible talks about the importance of our discomfort. Take a look at the Beatitudes (screenshot from Biblegateway.com).
He came to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
Finley Peter Dunne
My brothers and sisters I want us to quiet ourselves and listen to what God is trying to say. If He came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, what is God saying to us? (Comment below)
Some of us are in the wilderness right now and instead of embracing the discomfort we are fearful, tense, anxious, and suffering from extreme heartache. Find the joy in your discomfort. Focus on Christ verses your aching heart.
My prayer is that this evening and in the days to come we will find the positives and rejoice in them even in the midst of our comfort or discomfort. Whatever season you are in right now: embrace God. Whatever season you just came out of: thank God. Whatever season that you are headed to: praise God.
God we thank you right now and we praise Your Holy name and we thank you for comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comforted. For we know it is a reason for everything under the sun. God we know you are the author the peace and not of confusion God so we just ask You to continue to be in the midst and help us to see the subtle joys in our discomfort and have a continuous praise. God we know that even when you allow adversity, sickness, hunger, or whatever it is to come; it is for a reason and all glory still belongs to you. Help us to endure God. HELP ME TO ENDURE. Help us forgive and ask for forgiveness. Help us to be grateful and have a humble heart.LORD I NEED YOU! Come into my home, come into my marriage, come on my job, dwell within me. You are worthy of all the honor, all the glory, and praise. For ask these many blessings in Jesus name, AMEN.
I totally agree that God makes it uncomfortable when we get too comfortable! In my own experience, I have learned to be careful what I pray for if I’m not ready for a shift! Because when God decides it’s time for change or growth, he will definitely start moving whether we think we’re ready or not.
I also love what you said about material possessions. I remember after I got my license and was whining about not having my own car. One day I was talking to my mom about a friend that got a new car, and she drove to school that day. She said something that I have never forgotten and teach my kids to this day. “Dominique, you don’t know what they had to do, or have to do, for that car.” I took that to mean several things. But the main thing I took away is you can’t always judge a situation by what you see!
I could go on and on lol but this was great Whitnee 💜
Your mom was a wise woman and you too are wise for sharing such knowledge with your handsome young men.
Very valuable lesson that will stick with them and they can share with their kids.
Thank you for the wise and very understandable response that I too wish to share with my kids. Sometimes I think I make things to complicated. Thank you for helping it to make sense!
Yes. Yes. Growing pains indeed. Yes I can say I have them physically. And I have witnessed many people have the “look” of being successful. Yes. You have the Cadilac Escalade, The Lexus, The 100,000 Car, The Gucci Bags, Pradi, Chanel, Armani Clothes and Bags…Kids are dressed up to the max daily old enough to know by now how to read and write but can barely say their ABCs or can barely write their names….but then again, what does success mean to you? Is it being rich? Is it having a family? Is it being happy alone? Success to me is Fulfilling God’s Will, and getting into Heaven. Will the journey be easy even if I do everything right? Of course not. Society has this misconception of oh things not working out right, oh she or he must be living wrong or into “devilment” as my grandmother would say. That’s not necessarily the case. Looking at the 12 disciples they did not have it easy following Jesus. So God never said it would not be easy. But He did promise to never leave nor forsake me. He will never leave us good or bad. The book of Job exhits this. As Christians, we should have the attitude of Job throughout trials and tribulations, Though he slay me, yet I will I trust Him. I know that is easier said than carried out, however if we know Our God conquered death, then why are we worried about the things of this world? Really..we should not have a worry in the world. We know that Our God provides all of our needs. I can relate to this at times, I believe he making me uncomfortable because God wants me to move. We just have to talk to God, Listen to God and Move when God says to move. And of course to always have praises in All situations. Praises in the bad times because God is Good and Faithful.
I think I recall Mrs. Hunn using the word “devilment!”
You have posed some good discussion questions here. I would love to have a round table discussion about what you and Dominique have mentioned.
Can’t wait for more folks to join the conversation.
I love you horse nose; thanks for being so supportive!
I have heard this saying many times and yes I agree. You have to be uncomfortable to get comfortable. Putting yourself out there is scary but that how you learn to adapt and grow. Im experiencing this with my teenager. She likes to keep to herself and doesn’t like alot of change. So im constantly encouraging her to try different things, go meet new ppl. When I was her age I was the same way but that kept me alone most times and I don’t want that for her.
Amen. Wonderful way to teach your daughter.
Sometimes you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable! -Growth comes from discomfort!! Sorry so short & late! 😇
Amen. It’s no worries from. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to drop by and read. I love you friend.