Devotionals
Sitting on my front porch are a few large shells I brought back from my vacation to the West Coast. I love the ocean and I love the remarkable finds that one can uncover when walking through the sand!
These shells were moved from the Pacific Ocean to New Mexico and this week we had our first winter snow! The temperature has dropped from 60 to –15 in what seemed like 0-15 seconds, and this morning as I put on my boots, I noticed my beautiful shells draped in a layer of ice!
If they could talk, they would probably say something like this:
Why did you remove me from my comfort zone? I was use to the tides and the sun!
At least there I knew if I was washed out to sea I would eventually find another beach to rest on, now I am sitting on a porch with snow covering my surface!
Why did you remove me from my home and bring me to a place where nothing is familiar?
The children of Israel experienced this! Their first complaint was when Pharaoh met them at the Red Sea: and they said unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? (Exodus 14:11a) No sooner than they sang the victory chant (Exodus 15:1-21) they were complaining about having nothing to drink (Exodus 15:24). Even though their life in Egypt was unmerciful, they were no longer in their comfort zone and slavery in Egypt was better than the wilderness!
Have you ever spent time in the wilderness and wondered what in the world was going on? It seems like everywhere you turn you face some kind of issue? Perhaps you lost a well-paying job and now forced to rely on God for the basic provisions?
When we are forced out of our comfort zone, although there is a point A and a point B, it is in the distance between these points that life-changes take place! It is here where we learn to submit everything to God! It is here that we come to understand without Him we are nothing! It is in this distance that God reveals Himself to those who are willing!
Personally, God had to get me out of my comfort zone! I’ve had to move from a warm climate to an area that is not fit for man nor beast (in my humble opinion); nevertheless through the journey I am learning that ultimately God had to shake me up – He had to get my attention – I’ve had to spend a few cold mornings gathering wood and removing ice from my windows (which was not a common event in California), but through it all I haven’t been disappointed. Okay I’ve been disgruntled at moments and followed David’s example of voicing my complaint unto the Lord (Psalms 142:2) but God has proven Himself time and again!
If you’ve found yourself relocated and feel a bit dislocated and wondering if your wilderness experience will ever end, I encourage you today; God has a plan! Seek His face! He may not reveal the plan entirely, but I guarantee you, if you step outside of yourself and seek the Master, you will find that our comfort zones need to often be removed. You may be a little colder than usual and you may not be eating the foods you desire; but honestly has God ever failed you?
Much like the shells draped in ice on my porch, they were moved to a new place, which is far different from what they’ve known; when God has a plan for our lives, He often has to move us out of our comfort zone!
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us enough! Thank You for loving us enough to move us out of our comfort zones when necessary! Thank You for always providing and for growing us up! Lord there are many who are in a wilderness experience and have felt for sometime that they’ve been brought out of slavery into worse conditions; today we ask for a special touch. Help them to see that You have a perfect plan!
In Jesus Name we pray,
AMEN
P.S. please do not be overly concerned I am not conversing with my shells!
© Jounda LaMance December 2, 2006
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Thomas
First of all, it's ok if you DO talk to your shells! lol, afteral, the Bible says that God can make rocks talk!
Seriously, this is a wonderful writing and sharing, and thank you. Also, it's funny about comfort zones comparisons; going back and forth in the different degrees of comfort and discomfort. It's so reassuring that GOD IS OUR COMFORT ZONE! He is there with us, where ever we are.
God bless you!
Love, Mamasita