UNCOMFORTABLE PLACES

In this season you will push.
You will push beyond the boundaries of comfort.
You will push past the things you’re called out of.
You will push to break the things that need to be broken.
You will push to love those hard to love.
And because you push you will rise in love, rise in hope, rise in obedience, rise in depth.

You’re going to be uncomfortable and that’s okay. The world doesn’t change through comfort. It changes through the bold statements, the persistently whispered prayers. Accepting the gentle nudges from the Holy Spirit.

And sometimes, this journey, it’s going to be exhausting and heavy.
And sometimes it’s light.
But all the time it’s good because the good comes from the heart of the One who created us, who loves us, who is for us, who wants to see us succeed.

I want to be the kind of person that shows up. To challenges. To new things. For Friends. For people who are hard to love.

The person who shows up is willing. Willing to take risks, willing to fail, and willing to give what they have to offer, even if it’s only a little, and the world could use a little more of that.

This month I’m focusing on fasting from certain things in my life and believing for God to show up in the most incredible ways. Letting go of some comfortable things because sometimes breakthrough requires sacrifice. It’s hard and it hasn’t been entirely fun, but I’ve been too tied to comfort for a long time.

I found myself not hoping or dreaming enough because my life looked pretty good and I didn’t want to upset that. I found myself not pushing myself to continue growing for the same reason. But I’ve been learning this:

God has so much more for me. God has so much more for each and every one of us.

It might look different than what I envisioned for myself, because God likes to intervene in unexpected ways. It might look like Chicago, it might be across the world—but whatever it is, it won’t be complacent. I don’t want to be complacent anymore. Chasing after the “more” God has for me looks like wanting His plan for my life above my own, even above trying to understand what He’s doing. Settling into the trust that He’s always working. Even when we can’t see it, He’s working in the unseen and in the supernatural. Finding what God has for us looks like sitting in His presence and talking, listening and expecting.

Again, it’s hard. Letting go of control over your life is not a natural response. BUT.

God will show up in your discomfort. He wants the desires of our hearts to align with His because He wants us to live our best lives. God has set each and every person apart for something special as part of His kingdom. It shouldn’t feel like a jail sentence. It shouldn’t feel mediocre. It should feel good and exciting (and sometimes hard) because it’s going to be the best possible thing.

The wait will be worth it. Letting go of control and comfort and entering into the uncomfortable places leaves space for God to fulfill His plan and His promises. Sometimes He’s saying “no” to things because He’s preparing better “yeses” down the road.