I suffer from a pinched nerve in my lower back, also known as sciatica. Although the pinched nerve is in my back, I feel the pain down the side and back of my thighs, usually my left thigh. When the pain is really bad it’s a struggle to find a comfortable sitting, lying, or standing position. Once I find a comfortable position, I’m usually resigned to stay there and will not move because I know if I move out of that position for any reason the pain may return worse than before, and it would take me at least 30 minutes or so to get comfortable again.
However, it is necessary for me to get up and leave that comfortable position in order for me to get something I need, like food, all the while knowing that it will be painful to sit or lay back down. Sometimes I just stay in one spot and refuse to move to satisfy that need because I am too afraid of the pain I will experience afterward. During those times, I revel in being comfortable in that one spot, scared to venture outside of that space that has calmed my pain, albeit temporarily.
Sometimes after experiencing much pain, God will allow us to be in a place of comfort. However, this place of comfort is not meant to be permanent, but is a temporary place where we can revive, refuel, and find refuge from the storms of life. When God wants to provide us with something we need or elevate us to that next level, He will call us out of our comfort zones, and it may require us to endure some trials, storms, and tribulations. However, through it all, God will never leave us or forsake us. No matter what we endure, He is there.
When God told Abraham to move, He gave very general directions. God basically said leave where you are and to a land that I will show you. He did not tell Abraham any specifics on how he would get there, what he would encounter, or any of that. I’m sure it was painful leaving the land Abraham knew and traveling to unfamiliar territory. However, it was necessary in order for God to make Abraham the father of many nations. Sometimes, God calls us to do the same. In those times, we just have to trust in God’s faithfulness and His character. Circumstances, situations, and people may change, but God’s character always stays the same. What is keeping you from leaving your comfort zone? Is that thing greater than your purpose? Are your fears greater than your faith?
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