Shortly after getting saved about 10 years ago, I was introduced to the very popular teaching about "Comfort Zones". The main idea of this teaching is that believers need to "step-out" in uncomfortable situations because this is where God can now use them.....
I would like to rather bring to you, that there is a much better way, which has its motive buried in the love of God and not in any obligation.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The implication of this word, "workmanship" is of an artist, painting a masterpiece on a canvas. That's what we are. We are HIS Workmanship. His brush-strokes in our lives, through our personalities and individual characters show His Glory to the world like NOBODY Else on the Planet could because we are each uniquely individual. We are designed to live out our individual uniqueness in communion with Jesus.... guiding us, and leading us each step of the way.
We live the most satisfied, fulfilled lives when we be ourselves..... because "ourselves" is who He loves, and made us to be.
Col 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Friends, it is no longer you who live, but your New Life is a life of mystical union with God Himself. The two (the new you, and God) have become one, and God has done this, and what God has joined together let no man separate:
Eze 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
We can see here that, now that you are made new (who you were always intended to be), AND, more than that, God himself has made himself one with you (your new spirit)... Now, the result of this Union is that HE WILL CAUSE YOU TO WALK IN HIS WAYS. It is not your Self will, or self effort that conjures up good works of faithfulness, but it is Christ in you.
Another Name for the Spirit of God inside you is, "The Comforter". God wants you to stay IN your Comfort zone and not behave contrary to your New Nature!
When we believe we have to do things that are outside of what we naturally are inclined to do, ie: "step out of our Comfort Zone", then we are conforming to someone else's Nature, and not your own! (I am talking about your new nature since this is who you now are).
So the thing is, ONLY you can be you, and fulfil what God has called you to do/be in order to reveal His master piece in/through your life. When we fulfil someone else's dreams/desires, we miss the Glory that God intended to reveal through us expressing Himself through your own personnel Gifting, Character and Personality! When we do what comes naturally to us, then we will fulfil our destiny (ie: "the good works planed in advance" for each of us). It is then that we walk according to the Spirit - The Comforter - and are being who He intended us to be.
Often times we are convinced into doing what comes naturally to someone else - whom we often love and respect - and end up having to respond out of obligation in order to "keep the peace".
But surely, as God tells us, instead of "peace with man" being the governing factor in our lives, we should let the "peace of GOD" rule/umpire/to direct/control/be the One that leads our decisions?
Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
Jesus is certainly raising up a people of faith that are lead by peace rather than loyalty to the known. When we are trusting the "God of all Comfort" inside us to lead us, then we are begining to walk deeper into our kingdom destinies:
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
When we find comfort and rest in the knowledge that Jesus knows how to build His Church, and leads us to go in directions that often dont make sense in the natural, then we are taking back that which Satan has stolen..... then we are becoming exceptionally dangerous to the fickle realm of Darkness. We are being lead by Peace and are Comfortable with Him:
Rom 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Kingdom Power and Authority is unleashed as we conform, - not in loyalty to a system, but to the person of Peace....
Rom 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Eph 2:14 For he himself is our peace,
For Heaven sake..... stay IN your Comfort Zone.
Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will (to cause you to want) and to work(to accomplish the desire He Himself place in you) for his good pleasure.
When we stay IN our comfort zone, we are delighting in Him... and when we delight in Him, HE will cause desires to rise up inside us, and them empower us to carry them out. (Ps 37:4)
The word "delight" here in Ps 37:4 means to "be Pampered"!!! When we allow the Comforter to Pamper us with His Love, then soon enough, we find we begin to desire the things that He desires. But all of this is expressed through the specific vessels he made us to be.
It is certainly NOT one size fits all in terms of works, and you need to be free to go in the direction He (your Peace) leads you and not feel obligated to conform to the direction of anyone else.
Enjoy the colours of Love his brush Pampers you with!
Loads of Love
Andrew
