Stay Restless: Faith's Unending Journey

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While it's natural to seek comfort in life, getting too comfortable in your faith can be a dangerous thing. The Christian faith is inherently uncomfortable, and following Jesus involves denying oneself, taking up a cross, and being subject to persecution. This means that a robust Christian faith should create dissonance and challenge us to step out of our comfort zones. Comfortable Christianity lacks prophetic witness and can lead to stagnation and irrelevance. To avoid this, Christians should actively seek out opportunities to connect with others who are different, challenge their assumptions, and step out in faith. This might involve having difficult conversations, serving others, or taking on new risks and challenges. Ultimately, a life of faith should be one of purpose and relationship, not comfort and stagnation.

Characteristics Values
Lack of priority on comfort God calls us to live a life of faith that pushes us past our comfort zones
Taking risks A faith that allows God to use us, stretch us, and get us out of our comfort zones
Taking action A faith that moves mountains and takes action
Avoiding complacency A faith that constantly rocks you, prods you, and challenges you
Seeking growth A faith that molds and refines you into the likeness of Christ
Embracing challenges A faith that leads us to do hard things and embrace hard truths
Seeking truth A faith that speaks hard truths in love
Prioritizing God A faith that seeks to honour God and use His blessings for Him
Focusing on eternity A faith that takes hold of eternal life and strains toward what is ahead

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God does not call us to live the safest life possible

The Bible is clear that God has a purpose and a plan for each of our lives. He calls us to live a life of faith, not comfort. This doesn't mean that we can't enjoy the pleasures of this life or that we should seek discomfort, but rather that our main goal shouldn't be to seek comfort.

Jesus himself said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Being a disciple of Jesus often involves denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Him. It involves giving up creature comforts, prioritizing family, and even being willing to give up all material possessions.

C.S. Lewis once said, "I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity."

So, what does it look like to live a life of faith that isn't focused on comfort? It might mean:

  • Taking chances and stepping out in faith.
  • Living a life that moves mountains and brings glory to God.
  • Using the blessings God has given us, such as our homes, cars, and income, for His kingdom work.
  • Storing up treasures in heaven, rather than on earth.
  • Being bold for Jesus and allowing Him to use us.
  • Speaking up for truth and living a life of courageous faith.

shunspirit

God calls us to a faith that pushes us past our comfort zones

The Christian faith is inherently uncomfortable. Following Jesus often involves denying oneself, taking up a cross, facing persecution, and giving up creature comforts. C.S. Lewis famously said, "I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity."

A healthy faith constantly challenges, prods, and surprises us, leaving us restless for more. It calls us to step out in faith, take risks, and live boldly for Christ. This might involve speaking up for truth, making bold moves, or living outside the "norm." It is about using the blessings God has given us for His glory, storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

Additionally, a comfortable faith can lead to a lack of prophetic witness. When our faith aligns perfectly with our politics, for example, it may indicate that we are not being challenged or stretched enough. A healthy faith should create dissonance and tension, prompting us to constantly reevaluate our priorities and seek God's truth above our own comfort.

In conclusion, God calls us to a faith that pushes us beyond our comfort zones. This means embracing challenges, taking risks, and constantly seeking to grow in our relationship with Him. It is through these uncomfortable experiences that we find true life and transformation in Christ.

shunspirit

God wants us to use our blessings for Him

The Bible is clear that God wants to bless us and that His blessings are not just about material wealth. In fact, Jesus never associated blessings with money or possessions. Instead, blessings are about protection and happiness, guiding us towards righteousness and giving us hope. God's blessings are also about spiritual wealth, as seen in Ephesians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places".

So, what does it mean to use our blessings for God? Firstly, it is about having the right perspective on blessings. We should not measure blessings by how good or happy they make us feel. Instead, we should be grateful for all that God has given us and understand that His goodness is constant, regardless of our emotions. This gratitude will help us to recognise that Jesus is our greatest blessing and that a life with Him is a life blessed beyond measure.

Secondly, we should not store up earthly treasures but instead focus on heavenly treasures, as Matthew 6:19-21 tells us: "Don't store up treasures here on earth... But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal". This means using our blessings to further God's kingdom, whether that be through our time, talents, or material possessions. We should also be generous with our blessings, as God has been generous with us. As the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you".

Lastly, we should not become too comfortable in our faith. A healthy faith should constantly challenge us and leave us wanting to know more about God. It should push us to take risks and speak up for what is true. So, let us use our blessings for God, living boldly for Him and keeping our eyes fixed on heavenly treasures.

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God wants us to rely on Him, not ourselves

While it is natural to seek comfort, God does not call us to live a comfortable life. Instead, He wants us to rely on Him and not on ourselves.

Self-reliance can often be our default mode, and we may not even be aware of it. We may believe that we are relying on God because we read the Bible or go to church, but in reality, we are trusting our emotions and our understanding more than we trust God.

The Bible describes the negative consequences of self-reliance. When we rely solely on ourselves, we become unfaithful, underdeveloped, unbelieving, unfruitful, uninspired, and unattached. We stray from God and others, and our loyalty and intimacy in relationships suffer. We avoid situations where we may face challenges, and as a result, we do not grow. We become hopeless and believe that we have no control over our circumstances.

In contrast, God wants us to fully rely on Him and to recognize our dependence on Him. This is not a sign of weakness but a recognition of reality. God is omnipotent and omniscient, and He wants to help us. By relying on Him, we can have confidence and courage, even in the hardest circumstances. We can produce fruit and help ourselves and others to change.

To become God-reliant, we need to be honest with God about our fears, desires, dreams, and frustrations. We need to find a sacred space away from distractions and pray to Him simply and honestly. We need to shift our focus from ourselves to God and trust that He cares for us and can make a tangible difference in our lives.

Relying on God means recognizing that we don't have all the answers and committing to prayer when faced with challenging situations. It is a process of training ourselves to think about and rely on God instead of anything physical or human. By fully relying on God, we can live a life of real impact and grow in ways we never thought possible.

shunspirit

God wants us to serve, not be served

God does not call us to live a life of comfort and safety. Instead, He calls us to a life of faith that pushes us beyond our comfort zones and into a place of bold faith. This means taking risks, speaking up for truth, and making bold moves that may be uncomfortable.

Jesus, the Son of God, came not to be served but to serve, and He calls us to follow in His footsteps. This means setting aside our own agendas and instead focusing on serving others. True greatness in the eyes of God comes from being a servant to all, just as Jesus served us by dying on the cross for our sins.

Jesus taught that those who want to be great must be servants, and He demonstrated this through His own actions, such as washing the feet of His followers and touching those considered unclean. He calls us to do the same and to embrace a life of service, not a life of comfort.

So, while it is natural to seek comfort and ease, we must also be willing to step out of our comfort zones and embrace the challenges and risks that come with serving others. This is the path to true greatness in the eyes of God and will lead to a life of transformation and reliance on God, rather than on ourselves.

Frequently asked questions

Comfort can be good, but it shouldn't be the number one priority in life. If comfort comes first, you won't be challenged and you won't grow.

The Bible states that to be a disciple of Jesus is to deny oneself, to take up a cross, to be subject to persecution, to give up comforts, and to be willing to sacrifice material possessions.

If there is no friction between your faith and your politics, if you never feel challenged by your faith, and if you never feel the need to have difficult conversations with fellow Christians, your Christianity may be too comfortable.

If you are disengaged from sermons, if you only spend time with people who are similar to you, and if you are not being pushed outside of your comfort zone, your faith may have become stale.

You can pray a powerful prayer of action: "Jesus, use me." You can also seek to connect with God's true character and remember that He is a God of wonder.

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  • Aisha
  • Aisha
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