Comfort Zones / Walking By Faith

I haven't post a blog in 4 months. I've been writing, but nothing for the blog. I'm not dead yet, so here's to a more active couple months I hope.

I love my comfort zone. It’s comfortable. Sometimes there is nothing better than after a long day of work to come home to a nice comfortable environment where everything is comfortable. Yes, I overused the word comfortable four times in the first three sentences, but I am making a point. Comfort zones are by definition comfy. We all have them, and sometimes we cling to them like Linus to his blanket. I was curious so I looked up the definition in the dictionary.

Merriam-Webster defines Comfort Zone as follows a place, situation, or level where someone feels confident and comfortable

The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested: (Italics and bold mine)

I found this quote on the internet that I liked also. Alasdair A. K. White in "From Comfort Zone to Performance Management” says, “The comfort zone is a psychological state in which a person feels familiar, at ease, in control and experiences low anxiety and stress. In the zone a steady level of performance is possible.”
 
I’d been praying for months asking God for direction in one area of my life. I initially missed the signs he provided because I was looking for big super spiritual revelations and He provided quiet, practical answers that I originally missed. (This subject may evolve into its own blog post) Once I got on the same page with God I sensed that he was asking me walk by faith. As typical with the Lord, he had to show me this a few times in different ways because I am analytical and like to overthink things. Sometimes I even overthink about overthinking.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)

Walking by faith requires us to get out of our comfort zones. In this life if we stay in our comfort zones there will be no growth. In the preface to Be Obedient, Warren Wiersbe says

“In a world filled with insecurity and uncertainty, we must learn to walk by faith, or our lives will fall apart. This applies to all of God’s children, regardless of how old we are or how long we have walked with the Lord.

Living by faith means obeying God’s Word in spite of feelings, circumstances, or consequences. It means holding on to God’s truth no matter how heavy the burden or how dark the day, knowing that He is working out His perfect plan.
It means living by promises and not by explanations.

I love that last sentence! God didn’t tell me what would happen when I stepped out in faith He only told me to do it. What He was showing me was way, way, way out of my comfort zone. How far out of my comfort zone was I, you may ask. Well, let me tell you. I am typing this blog in Cheektowaga NY, a suburb of Buffalo NY. Geographically speaking, if I am located here in Cheektowaga, my comfort zone would be say in Albany. I was so far out of it I couldn’t even see it.

Whenever I want to study walking by faith I turn to Hebrews 11. It’s the Hall of Faith chapter.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

"Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

The Message Bible says it this way.

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. Hebrews 11:1 (MSG)

Using just a portion of Abraham’s story as an example.

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. – Hebrews 11:8-12 (NIV)

Do I have faith like that? Can I step out of my comfort zone and walk by faith? Can I follow God and remain comfortable when I don’t know what’s next? Can I take one step at a time and wait for Him to shine a light the next.

As I learned in the days after I left my comfort zone and walked by faith His purpose was getting me out of my comfort zone and less about the answer to the questions I’d been asking. I guess you could say the journey is more important than the destination at this time.

As I stepped out in faith God did not promise a result or resolution. His only promise to me was he’d be there when I took the step, and he’ll be there for you too.