One reason I’ve become so attached to my morning walks is because they give me designated time to just let my thoughts go where they will. I find that God really works with that because I wind up talking to Him more freely and less guarded.
One day this week my thought train pulled into the station of second guessing my parenting. Sadly, that’s a regular stop. That day I was thinking about specific issues with both of my children. On the surface the issues are totally different, but the more I thought about it and discussed it with God the more He highlighted the common thread. Being uncomfortable.
That’s the underlying issues with my kids. Yes, thank you Lord. As I was thinking about ways that I could teach them the importance of being willing to be uncomfortable sometimes, it was like God cleared his throat and arched one eyebrow in my direction. “Ah hem.”
And with that came a flood of realizations that I, and probably many of us, need to work on this principle, too. We need to be a little more willing to be uncomfortable for a time. In the case of my children, one needs to be okay with living in the same house as his brother even if it makes him uncomfortable; the other needs to be willing to put in the physical work required to be better at a sport he wants to be good at.
Friends, if we want to be better parents, we must sometimes say “no” even when it makes us uncomfortable. It would be more comfortable for me in the moment if I let my kids do what they want. It would be much quieter if I let them play all the video games they want. But, I wouldn’t be doing them in any favors or making them better humans.
Improving your health will likely require a time of you being uncomfortable while you exercise and adjust your diet. If you want to be a great guitar player, you’ve got to learn to deal with sore fingers. We must endure the process of growth. This is the only way to get where God is asking us to go. Growth requires periods of being uncomfortable.
Sometimes we need to do the thing when it would be more comfortable if we didn’t. How uncomfortable do you suppose Noah was on day 37 in the ark? How about David being pursued by Saul? Jonah in the belly of a whale? Do you think Mary was uncomfortable telling Joseph she was pregnant? How about the disciples being asked to give up everything and follow a homeless man peddling the impossible? Or Paul? Was he uncomfortable when he was blinded, imprisoned, beaten, or bitten?
Oh Friends, God requires that we get comfortable being uncomfortable. Much like our parents, teachers, and coaches pushing us farther than we think we can go – God does the same. Growth is on the other side of uncomfortable.
In John 15:1-2 (NKJV), Jesus points to the necessity of being uncomfortable. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Grapevines are pruned so that they grow under control for the best results. Overgrowth of the vines can suffocate and cause disastrous problems like mildew and rot that kill the fruit. To bear more fruit, the vines must be pruned.
As a Christian, if you’ve been pruned you know it’s uncomfortable. God might ask you to give up something you would rather keep. He might ask you to do something that you really don’t want to do. We must be willing to go through those stretches. Here are some takeaways for surviving your uncomfortable times.
Comfort is temporary at best. Read Jonah for a good example of this. Don’t hang your hat on getting comfortable and being able to stay there. It’s an unrealistic expectation setting you up for disappointment. Be prepared.
God stays with you during the uncomfortable. Even if He’s seems quiet for periods, He’s still with you. See His promises when He was asking Joshua to get uncomfortable. He will never forsake us. You can trust Him. You are not in it alone.
If He asks you to endure a time of being uncomfortable, He will provide whatever you need to survive it. When He is doing the pruning, we can trust that we will be okay. He provides the manna, the husband, the earthquake, the miracle. He provides.
Remember why you’re uncomfortable. Obedience to God leads to God’s blessings. Sometimes that means earthly blessings, but it always means Heavenly rewards.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
