Outside the Comfort Zone

“Finally, grow strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.” Ephesians 6:10

As humans we grow naturally in the direction of our own comfort. That is why we are often inspired by people who take risks and overcome great obstacles. Though we may not be given super-strength to perform amazing feats as Christians, we are enabled to move through pain and even into areas of discomfort. It is those occasions where we learn the true power God provides.

Our son’s wife Julie bought Michael a skydiving experience for Father’s Day. I have asked my wife to avoid following suit. I just don’t want a Father’s Day gift that could possibly result in my children losing their dad! Our 20 year old daughter may even join her big brother as they jump out of the semi-safety of the open door of a plane into nothing! My fear of heights prevents me from even thinking about putting on the parachute.

Some people may take this verse to mean that, if I really trusted God, I would boldly embark on the plane and plummet to the ground with two-thirds of my progeny. If I know my kids, Mike and Sarah will probably talk their brother Jonathan into joining them. Someone has to stay on the ground, and it might as well be me.

We do have available all the might and power we need to confront life’s greatest challenges. God may not need me to jump out of a plane for Him, but I am certain He needs me to walk through my day-to-day existence relying on a power outside myself. He has provided all the strength necessary to follow Jesus into my relationships. He has given the power I need to overcome the darkest trials and deepest temptations.

My question is, “How much of my life is lived outside of my mere human abilities?” Though we are never to put God to the test, I wonder if my dullness in prayer is a lack of reliance on His promised power. Do I live satisfied with nothing more than wearing a “Jesus” label instead of taking risks that require God’s power?

What if I fail? What if I step out, thinking I am obeying God and it just doesn’t work out? To use a golf term, you make zero percent of the putts which never make it to the hole. We will never know the joy of God’s provision if we always operate within our own comfortable safety-zone.

If we view our life with Christ defined by all the things we no longer do, we can bore ourselves right into mediocrity. Jesus was known as the One who went around “doing good.” He was not known as the person who “didn’t do this or that”. The gospels are full of one action after another that Jesus takes. We see Him preaching to crowds, walking on lakes, eating with outcasts, healing the blind, raising the dead and snuggling children.

A year ago I felt like I needed a new challenge. I always have a “fun fund” where I stash extra money I have received from gifts, Christmas or performing weddings. I have played guitar for nearly 45 years bought a cheap mandolin when I was 18. Somewhere in my early adulthood the mandolin and I were separated. At age 57 I decided to take it up again, used my fund to purchase a very nice instrument and began to practice away.

My fingers aren’t as supple as they once were and a couple of knuckles ache from arthritis, but I have stuck to a fairly consistent routine. I think I have been more faithful to good practice methods than any other instrument I have learned. It was frustrating at first; I wanted to play songs right away. But age brought the acknowledgment of the value of practice.

I pick up and down with my right hand five minutes every day, strengthening and coordinating the muscles necessary for the mandolin’s distinctive tremolo. I am learning scales that make me use my pinky finger, the weakest link of the bunch. The action and muscles are quite different from guitar. Here is the outcome; where once I could tremolo at 60 beats per minute, now I am proficient up to 120. I am playing scales and intuitively using my pinky where once I would have cheated, using a stronger finger. I was uncomfortable for quite a while before the skills improved. But now I get to play my songs! Next year, if I keep it up, I’ll even be further along.

My wrist and pinky have developed because I practiced outside of my comfort zone. How much more will we discover God’s power if we learn to take risks and take perhaps one step beyond our safety zone? Great things are accomplished by ordinary people with ordinary gifts depending on the power of an extraordinary God.