I have two young grandchildren that absolutely love comfort
and snuggling. I mean they are so into it that they play napping taking
blankets and pillows and putting their stuffed animals and baby dolls to bed
and then covering themselves and snuggling in the blankets and pillows. So for
Christmas this year, I gave them each the warmest, snuggliest, comfy blanket I
could find. The delight on their faces as they wrapped themselves in the warmth
and comfort of the blankets was worth every penny spent and more!
If we are honest with ourselves, we all desire comfort and
we seek it and try to hold on to it many ways. But as wonderful as comfort is,
it can be a deterrent to seeking the Lord, listening to His voice and obeying
what He instructs us to do. When we are very uncomfortable (as in a crisis), we
run to God pleading with Him to take away whatever is making us uncomfortable
and make us comfortable again. It is actually the principle with which we
discipline our children. When they disobey, we do something that brings them discomfort
to help them want to obey.
Oswald Chambers in “My utmost for His Highest” says,
“…before we choose to follow God’s will, a crisis must develop in our lives.
This happens because we tend to be unresponsive to God’s gentler nudges. He
brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and we begin
to debate. He then providentially produces a crisis where we have to decide –
for or against. That moment becomes a crossroads in our lives.”
The truth is we become more teachable while in crisis than
while in comfort. We are more willing to seek God and be obedient to His
calling in our lives when we are a little less comfortable. God loves us too
much to let us snuggled in our warm blankets and pillows and totally miss life.
He has so much to teach us for both this life and the eternal life to come.
Paul writes in Philippians 1:20-22a “I eagerly expect and
hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that
now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the
body, this will mean fruitful labor for me…”
As I begin another year in this world, I want to listen for
God’s voice in my life. I want to be obedient to His nudges. And if He leads me
through another crisis, I want to be open to what He is teaching me and to do
and be “my utmost for His highest”.
Lord, as I enter a new year, I realize how strong the call
to comfort is in this mortal body. But I don’t want to stand before you ashamed
because I chose comfort over obedience. Help me to hear your voice and to be
obedient to your calling. Your purposes are so much higher than mine. I choose
to walk with you in whatever life lies before me. For to me to live is Christ
and to die is gain. I look forward to our journey together this year. In the
precious and holy name of Jesus, amen.
