Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

by Karen S. Roberts

Stepping outside of your comfort zone is just plain UNcomfortable!

I know you know that, for you’ve had to do it.  It’s all part of life, personal growth, and spiritual growth.  It’s something that is necessary as we move into the plans and purposes that God has for us.

This week I’m being stretched out of my comfort zone.  You might be able to help me.  More on that later.

The Streeeeeetching of Gideon

Gideon was stretched WAY beyond what he wanted. You can read about him in Judges chapters 6-8.  When his country of Israel was being raided and attacked by the Midianites, his responser was to hide in a winepress, hoping he would not be discovered by the raiders.

But God had a high calling for Gideon.  The angel of the Lord came to him and told him that he would be the one to save his nation.  Basically Gideon’s answer was, “Who me?”  He could not picture himself as a fearless leader.  You may know the story of how he wanted to make sure that God was really calling him to this.  So he “put out a fleece,” looking for supernatural signs from God.

God is mighty patient with us when we are fearful about following what He is calling us to do.  As He moved Gideon out of his comfort zone, He removed everything in the natural that Gideon could put his faith and hope in.  Once Gideon was convinced of God’s calling to lead the fight against the Midianites, he moved ahead with the plan.  But then God shocked him by removing all but 300 of his soldiers.  The only way they could win against a massive army was for God to enable them to do it in a miraculous way.

God is faithful.  If He calls us to do something, He provides the means and ability to do it.  But He does require us to by faith take the steps He shows us to take.  And then He meets us there.  Through His power, He accomplishes His work in us and through us.

So what happened with Gideon and his 300 men?  He sneaked up on the camp of the Midianites, asking God for another sign.  Two men in the camp were talking about a strange dream that one of them had.  The other man prophetically interpreted the dream saying, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel!  Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”

Hearing this caused Gideon to worship the Lord and to have the faith he needed to obey what God had called him to do.  He divided his three hundred men into three groups to surround the camp.  They took trumpets and empty pitchers to cover their torches.  He told them that when he would blow his trumpet, they should blow theirs, uncover their torches, and yell, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”

When they did this, chaos broke out in the camp of the Midianites.  They were so afraid and confused that they started fighting and killing each other!  Those who survived fled.

This reminds me of 1 Samuel 17:47, where we read David’s words to Goliath right before he used his sling to hurl a stone at the giant’s head.  “The battle is the Lord’s.”

Those should be our words also when we feel like shrinking back and staying in our comfort zone.

Stepping Out of My Own Comfort Zone

OK, here’s my own story and how those of you who are women can help me if you wish.  (Sorry guys, this one’s not for you.)

As a writer and editor, I enjoy working behind the scenes.  I’ve been developing a course concerning a Biblical practice that has great benefits and is even backed by scientific research.  At the same time, I’m taking a course on how to set  up a course.  The two teachers of that course have challenged me to do something that I’m rather uncomfortable doing.

They have assigned me to do something this week:  to go live online to talk to people about this Biblical practice and how the scientific research shows amazing benefits to those who participate in it.  They also said that I should invite my readers.  I have never done a “Facebook Live” before, but I gave my word to my teachers and classmates that I will do this.  On Thursday evening they will ask me for a report on how it went.

To make this a little less stressful for me, I set up a private Facebook group for women who want to develop joyful godly habits.  I’m calling the group “Joyful Habits.”  That’s where I am going to go live on Wednesday evening, May 5th, at 8:30 PM Eastern time.  I’d like to invite our women readers to join this group, even if you can’t attend the live session.  It’s a group set up for women to encourage one another as we all develop joyful habits and step out of our comfortable places, moving into whatever God is calling us to do at this time.

In addition to sharing some things that I’ve learned in researching this Biblical practice, I’d like to get input from participants concerning the topic.  Your input will help me develop a course that is interesting and helpful to many.  I have a free gift for those who participate as well.  So if you can help me out with this ladies, please join the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/joyfulhabits

Let’s help each other step out of our comfort zones.