Are You Stuck In Your Comfort Zone?

Well, another year has closed out and a new year has taken its place. While there are many ways we as humans often approach a new year, I want to take a few minutes with you and discuss one I don’t believe is very common. I want to talk about your comfort zone and how it needs to viewed in the new year.

Fear Grips the Disciples

Before I give you my thoughts, I want to first take a look at a very familiar passage of Scripture about a very familiar character – Peter. In Matthew 14, there is a string of three events that I believe can teach us something about how we should approach our comfort zone in this new year. You need to read this chapter on your own (its not long), but I will summarize the events for you.

First, the chapter opens with the beheading of John the Baptist. This is clearly a traumatic experience for all of Jesus’ followers, but especially for those closest to him as they realize they could face the same fate. This event had to have a deep impact on Peter.

Peter In Awe

Immediately after that, Jesus feeds 5,000 men (plus women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish. As an eye-witness to this miracle, Peter had to be in awe. Maybe this miracle gave him courage to face the fear brought on by John’s execution. Maybe it just convinced him that he was still in the right place. We can only speculate how he felt, but we can assume it was very encouraging.

Once the crowd was fed, Jesus sent the disciples ahead in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. A storm shows up and the disciples struggle against the wind and waves for hours until they are exhausted and scared. This is when Jesus comes out onto the water, walking toward them.

Peter Acts

Initially, they don’t recognize Him and cry out that there is a ghost. The Scripture says they are terrified! When Peter finally recognizes Jesus, he acts. Even though his emotions have been on a roller coaster ride through the events he has witnessed over the past several days, Peter does not respond in fear. He does not ask for safety or rescue.

Instead, Peter asks Jesus to call him out of the boat and onto the rolling waves! As a result, he gets to experience the thrill of walking on water! Peter has always been bold and quick to act or speak before he thinks, but this request by Peter truly inspires me.

As I look at all he had been through and the likely state of his mind, I am blown away at his instinct to ASK to be called out of his comfort zone. Sure, I love the part where he walks on water, but that is the reward. The behavior I think we need to emulate is the request itself and then the faith to move!

Your Comfort Zone?

Take a look at your own story. Look back over the last year and count the times when you asked God to call you out of your comfort zone. Can you count them on one hand? Did you even do it at all? If not, why not?

Folks, I get it. We all have responsibilities and these can sometimes cause us to play it safe.

Maybe there was a time when we stepped outside of our comfort zone on a regular basis, but now we think we no longer have that luxury. Maybe we think that is a privilege of youth or for those without serious responsibilities. Whatever our reasons, too many of us have drifted into a comfort zone that we rarely, if ever, leave.

ASK To Be Called Out!

My challenge to you in this new year is to commit to a plot twist in your story. Begin praying that God would call you out of your comfort zone and into experiences you cannot even imagine right now! I believe that He has opportunities available for each of us.

In these opportunities, we can impact many others to seek Him. We can experience life at a higher level. We can strengthen our faith in ways we have only dreamed about. Jesus came that we could have life to the fullest! Isn’t it time you had the courage to ask for it?

photo by Jon Rawlinson