Willing to be Uncomfortable
As I listened to a couple of different pastors preach this morning it occurred to me the theme on which they spoke was the same, "How willing are you to be uncomfortable?" The only way to be fully committed to Christ is to be uncomfortable with your flesh.
The old ways, the old habits will not magically disappear (in most cases). God is a God of free-will. He allows us to choose Him and once we've chosen Him, He allows us to choose how close we want to become to Him. Do we only want salvation? Or do we want salvation and a relationship? How deep of a relationship do we want with God? Only we can make that call.
When we are willing to be uncomfortable with our sin, fleshly behaviors, and worldly desires, then we can see more clearly our purpose for the Kingdom of God. One pastor noted that our emotions "make bad masters." If we aren't willing to say no to the flesh, we'll never say yes to dreams that God has in mind for our futures.
I just watched a news clip of a young woman who is a heroin addict. Her boyfriend died of an overdose last year. When the interviewer asked, "This may seem simplistic, but why won't you go get help?" She made a variety of excuses such as she'd rather help others' first, she's a procrastinator, and sometimes she wants to and other times she's just not ready yet.
Some people make similar excuses as to why they won't or haven't accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. In both cases, God is there willing to help, but the choice is still ultimately the individuals. They must make the first step...they must choose to decide...yes or no since there really are no maybes.
I'm sure it is not comfortable to come off of addictive drugs. It's also not comfortable to question your past and start off in a new direction and a new way of living. But it can't be comfortable living on the streets and it certainly won't be comfortable living eternity in hell. A little discomfort now may be the best way to attain comfort in the future.
The old ways, the old habits will not magically disappear (in most cases). God is a God of free-will. He allows us to choose Him and once we've chosen Him, He allows us to choose how close we want to become to Him. Do we only want salvation? Or do we want salvation and a relationship? How deep of a relationship do we want with God? Only we can make that call.
When we are willing to be uncomfortable with our sin, fleshly behaviors, and worldly desires, then we can see more clearly our purpose for the Kingdom of God. One pastor noted that our emotions "make bad masters." If we aren't willing to say no to the flesh, we'll never say yes to dreams that God has in mind for our futures.
I just watched a news clip of a young woman who is a heroin addict. Her boyfriend died of an overdose last year. When the interviewer asked, "This may seem simplistic, but why won't you go get help?" She made a variety of excuses such as she'd rather help others' first, she's a procrastinator, and sometimes she wants to and other times she's just not ready yet.
Some people make similar excuses as to why they won't or haven't accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. In both cases, God is there willing to help, but the choice is still ultimately the individuals. They must make the first step...they must choose to decide...yes or no since there really are no maybes.
I'm sure it is not comfortable to come off of addictive drugs. It's also not comfortable to question your past and start off in a new direction and a new way of living. But it can't be comfortable living on the streets and it certainly won't be comfortable living eternity in hell. A little discomfort now may be the best way to attain comfort in the future.
Romans 15:4 (NKJV)
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
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