Sep 22, 2016
By Annie Lloyd
Alfred Station SDB Church, NY
As teenagers, exploring out of our comfort zones is not an easy thing to do. We tend to create our own little worlds with the intention to never leave them. Why do we do this? Well, the term “comfort zone” is pretty self-explanatory. We like our comfort zones. Our comfort zones know us best, and they give us exactly what we desire. But the thing is, God calls us to range out of our comfort zones. God may be calling us to do something that might seem awkward or uncomfortable for us. So resisting the call is very easy. But we all know that God will give us difficult things to do. Why does He do this? Well, God wants us to experience places that are bigger and greater than ourselves. He leads us out of our comfort zones so that we can grow and learn in Him. In Joshua 1:9, the Lord says: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” So when we are in situations or places that are out of our comfort zones, we need to remember that God is always with us. He is there to give us whatever we need whenever we need it. I believe that if we only can trust in Him, then He will reveal to us handfuls of wonders — even out of our comfort zones!
Last week, God called me to get out of my comfort zone. God called me to go to a whole different camp out of the SDB denomination for a week of serving others less fortunate than I. With people that I’ve never met. At first I was unsure about it. I asked God, “Is this really what you want me to do Lord?” His answer was “Yes.” I was afraid that I wouldn’t make a good impression on the people there and that they wouldn’t like me. So I asked God, “Are you sure you want me to go here?” His answer was “Yes.” I feared that I wouldn’t enjoy the camp at all. I asked God again, “Are you really sure that I should go here, Lord?” His answer, yet again, was “Yes.” So I jumped right into the program without knowing what to expect. But I knew I had to trust God.
When I first got to the camp I did not like it. I felt really uncomfortable being at a different camp with different people. But I knew God had a plan. Throughout the week God revealed to me a lot of important information that I could use for the rest of my life. He taught me that He WILL call us to do things beyond our personal comfort according to His will. He granted me wisdom. He encouraged me spiritually. He blessed me with wonderful people who had huge hearts for God. That week was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. And it was out of my comfort zone! Isn’t that crazy? Going beyond our comfort zones can be intimidating and tricky. But with God’s love and strength He will give us an experience of a lifetime. You only need to trust Him. Easier said than done, of course. But how will we ever grow in Christ if we live our lives the easy way? Exploring out of our comfort zones will be tough, but with God it will be worth it.