Monday, September 23, 2013

COMFORT TO COURAGE (by Andy Cheely)


Whether moving to China, teaching a new course, shopping in a market or building relationships with students, leaving comfort for courage makes us want to wrap our arms around every ounce of safety in our life. From the outside, leaving comfort and safety looks and sounds alluring and attractive, but the attraction fades quickly. 

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to question our decision. It will cause us to look around for the safety bars, seatbelt,  any kind of security button.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to try to make something happen.  Scheme, make phone calls, send out hail mary e-mails—anything to distract from sitting in the fear.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to doubt our abilities.  We will look at everything that we have failed at in the past … failed relationships, failed financial decisions, failed leadership calls—and we will wonder if we will repeat those patterns and if they are indicators to go out and look for comfort again.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to doubt the author of the calling on our life.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to be jealous of your supporters/teammates. They seem to be perfectly content with their lives.  We will wonder if we are some sort of crazy person that has a unhealthy propensity to live on the edge.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to look for the easy way out.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause us to feel weak in the knees—a good indicator that we should stop standing up and get ON our knees.

Moving from comfort to courage will… cause others to question us.  We will be misunderstood, questioned, and perhaps even seen as foolish.

As we've finished these first two months,  we remember to listen to Him tell us to settle down, to trust and to release every one of these fears into the everlasting arms. It is impossible to invite others into a life of obedience if we are unable to live it ourselves—so today we will be strong and courageous in Him.