You know when you are really enjoying yourself and really comfortable and then all the sudden God’s truth smacks you in the face? Well, that’s what just happened to me. I didn’t go to church yesterday because we were traveling, so I “attended” church online. Out of nowhere I came across a quote from Desiring God by Matt Chandler that wrecked me. And here is what it said, “Comfort is the god of our generation, so suffering is seen as a problem to be solved, and not a providence from God”. Matt Chandler

Comfort is the god of our generation. 

Before we go any further, I would be the one to admit that I love comfort. And in no way am I proud of that! I love to do things that are comfortable to me and that I know how to do. I love to do things that I’m comfortable with because in those moments I’m the one who is in control of whatever I am doing.

Perhaps, are we afraid of uncomfortable situations because in those moments we know we are NOT in control?

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7

If there is anyone on this earth who deserved a comfortable delivery, wasn’t it Mary? After all, wasn’t she giving birth to our Savior?

But God chooses the uncomfortable and the dark times to make His light shine brighter.

In the book Undaunted by Christine Caine, she tells this story:

“Once, in a Walmart, Nick and I bought Sophia a flashlight of her very own. Sophia flipped on the one we thought would work best, trying it out. But none of us could see even a little glow. The fluorescent lights of the store were too bright; the flashlight’s meager light was swallowed up.

“Oh, Mummy,” Sophia pled, “can we please go find some darkness?”

Can we please go find some darkness?

Darkness is everywhere. We live in a world full of fear and in need of light”.

How can we be the bright light in this dim world when we never want to step into the darkness and the uncomfortable? And if we truly want to be Christ-like, why don’t we follow His example? The God-man Himself left His perfect and Holy dwelling and stepped into our mess and our darkness, didn’t He? Isn’t that what makes the gospel so stunningly beautiful? 

Think for a second, what if Jesus was “afraid” of the darkness and was comfortable in Heaven (which by the way He had every reason to be), wouldn’t we be still walking in our sins without any future hope?

Whenever we choose comfort, somewhere somehow we are denying someone a chance to know His mercy and salvation.

When Love got a hold of you, you go wherever He leads because you know there isn’t a shadow He can’t see you through or pull you through!! “Even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with You.” Psalm 139:12

When You have known His love, there is no need to fear anything.

Who has God ever called that lived a comfortable life? 

Abraham was told to leave the familiar and the comfortable and to follow God wherever He would lead. “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you”. Genesis 12:1

In other words, God was telling Abraham, leave the familiar and follow Me! But nowadays, we go to church and read the Bible so that God can bless our comfortable lives. In other words, we want God to “follow us” and bless whatever we are doing. “We are not dedicated to His Kingdom. We are simply focused on our kingdom. In fact, the only reason we are in Church is so that He would reward our kingdom. And we wondering why life isn’t paying off? We are wondering why we are not being rewarded”. ~Chris Brown

How can we reach a place of fully trusting Him when we never faced times where He was our only Hope?

Most of us know the ten commandments by heart and we daily try not to break them. And we naively think that there is no way the devil can trick us. But the truth of the matter is,  “The devil’s scheme is not to get you to pull over and stop for prostitution and drugs on the way home. The devil’s scheme is to get your time and money so consumed in your kingdom that you are useless for God”. ~Chris Brown

It’s 3:46 am and I can’t sleep. And as I am sitting in this hotel room where we are staying, I’m thinking, where does God fit in when I’m following my plans and I just want Him to bless whatever I’m doing? Where does God fit in when I choose comfort and refuse to go out and tell this hurting world how He loves and how He saves?

God never said “I have come so that you may have comfortable lives without any trouble”.  John 16:33 clearly says, “In the world, you will have tribulations. But take heart, I have overcome the world”. 

Only in this day and age do we think that Christianity is the synonym of comfort. For the early Christians, choosing to be a Christian was a matter of life and death. But still, they choose to follow Him!

Would you follow Christ if you knew you would be persecuted each day until the day you lay in the grave? 

I know my sinful and prideful heart, and I don’t think I would say yes in a heartbeat even though I’m always shouting how much I love Him.

Oh Lord, please remember that I am nothing but dust… 

You know how sometimes you tell God something, and He asks you a question to confirm if you really do mean what you said? God would ask me, “do you really mean that” and I’m like “I do”. And then He brings me into a situation that shows me that I really didn’t mean what I said.

This is kind of what happened this year. We all know the song that says, “Oh I know that I am not home yet, this is not where I belong, take this world and give me Jesus…” Where I belong by Building 429

I love this song so much and I sang it to Jesus! “Take this world and give me You”. And He told me that I didn’t mean those words. I told Him that I really mean them, as if words meant more than actions. This scenario sounds familiar, right? When Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows and Peter says “Even if I must die with You, I will not deny you”. Matthew 26:35 And we know how the story ended. Sure enough, Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Back to my story, after I told Jesus “take this world and give me You” He took some stuff away and needless to say I was super bummed out. And God asked, “I thought you said take this world and give me just You and Your presence”. I fell to my knees in shame and realized that more times that I dare to think, I choose comfort over Him unconsciously.

Oh Lord, please remember that I am nothing but dust… 

As we about to enter 2014, I’m praying to God, I’m begging God to bring me to a point where in all honesty I can pray “Take this world and give me Jesus” and seriously mean it! 

I want these lyrics of the song Keep making me by Sidewalk Prophets to be my prayer as I’m about to begin 2014 because Lord, I want to love You more than anything in this world. These words are not easy to pray but God, You are my joy, my love, and I know that in the end it will all be so, so worth it.

Make me broken
So I can be healed
‘Cause I’m so calloused
And now I can’t feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make empty
So I can be filled
‘Cause I’m still holding
Onto my will
And I’m completed
When you are with me
Make me empty

‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely
So I can be Yours
‘Til I want no one
More than You, Lord
‘Cause in the darkness
I know You will hold me
Make me lonely

Dear Lord, we thank You that You are never tired of loving us. You are never tired of pursuing us! I pray that we never get tired of pursuing You, never tired of wanting to recklessly follow You. Thank You, for You were my protection and providence this year. I pray that You will bring us to situations where You are our one and only desire. Blessed be Your name, now and forever!!! AMEN!