There is a certain comfort in having your dad as your pastor. I didn’t grow up a pastor’s kid. My dad got the call later in life. This might sound selfish but I’m going to be honest. If God called my dad into ministry only for the growth in me I know it was worth it!!
It would be easy to settle into comfort where so many of us are family and long time friends in our church. You know, just keep it mellow! But…God gave Dad an ever increasing fire that spread. I love that he isn’t afraid to speak the truth even when it’s hard for others, including myself, to hear!
Recently he shared a message about commitment over comfort. Wow!!! Can I say I’m pretty sure I was hanging onto my chair as I felt the Holy Spirit grabbing hold of my heart in a big way.
I don’t care for discomfort, do you? I’ve known my fair share of it in life and find myself avoiding it at all costs. I don’t just mean the physical kind either. Although the bitter cold in our South Dakota winters I still try to avoid. Talk about uncomfortable!!
But I digress.
How often do we find ourselves avoiding the call God’s put on our life because we know it’s going to be uncomfortable? Or, what about this scenario. We follow God’s call but with some stipulations! I’m so guilty of this!!
I STRONGLY dislike confrontation anymore. I will avoid it if at all possible. Part of the reason is, you guessed it, it’s uncomfortable. The other part is I still struggle to trust myself to handle it with grace and dignity. Those aren’t natural traits of my friend.
So to avoid confrontation I try to stay with safe topics, especially on social media. Now, I’m not saying we need to air our dirty laundry or get in heated debates over politics on social media. But I’ve also learned an important truth.
Avoiding discomfort can compromise our values!
Dad shared in his message about the commitment Abraham, Elijah and Jesus had for God’s call on their life. Do we really believe any of them had it easy? Heck no!!
Abraham showed an immense amount of faith as he left what he knew and set out on the journey God set before him. There wasn’t any part of his journey up that mountain with Isaac that was comfortable. Yet he stayed committed to God’s plan over comfort!
Elijah! Talk about speaking truth when it was hard. Wow!! More than once he was called to share bad news with important people. Less than pleasant I’m sure. Yet even as his life was in danger he spoke the truth of God. He stayed committed to God’s plan over comfort!
Jesus is the perfect example of commitment over comfort! He was fully human on earth. He knew pain. He knew discomfort. Then even as He knew in the final hours what was coming He still chose to stay committed to God’s plan over comfort!
I don’t know about you but that inspires me! But even more so it transforms me!
Even when it’s uncomfortable to stay true to my values and God’s plan for my life I choose COMMITMENT!! I know full well it isn’t easy. I also know we aren’t promised easy. We ARE promised God will be with us.
So each day let’s choose to get up with renewed commitment to God’s plan for our lives. Fully aware there could be discomfort. Also fully aware that God will walk beside us and strengthen us.
How about it friend? Will you choose commitment over comfort with me today?
