“Whatever makes you uncomfortable is your biggest opportunity for growth” — Bryant McGill
Jillian Michaels, a well-known fitness trainer and health enthusiast says it this way, “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Each of us has experienced pain of some sort. Some more than others – depending on your age and stage in life. You may have felt this emotion more times than you can remember or even care to count, but the one thing that has never changed- is GOD.
The good news is, God is always with us. He is Emmanuel. He is traveling through every season of our lives alongside us, promising to never leave nor forsake us. The Bible tells us to Abide in Him and He will Abide in us. He never leaves us to ourselves to dwell in discomfort or to be alone. Even if, and when, we bring situations on ourselves, God is so merciful. He is truly our GOD -The God of ALL comfort.
What does it mean to be “uncomfortable, but comforted?” Look at James 1:2-4. It encourages us: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”.
How many times in our lives do we find ourselves in situations that are uncomfortable and leave us feeling– hurt, restless, strained, weary, annoyed, fatigued, awkward, and even depressed. Can you count the number of times you have felt any or all of these emotions, related to being uncomfortable?
We all tend to express discomfort in different ways. Some people isolate when things get uncomfortable. Some act out in anger, while others simply address the behaviors or the situations that make them uncomfortable. Nevertheless, however we choose to handle these emotions are important, especially so we do not lose our witness for Christ. I know, I know, that is most times easier said than done.
Uncomfortable emotions, like anxiety, embarrassment, sadness, and anger, can be tough to tolerate. And if we’re not careful, those emotions can lead to poor decisions if we don’t manage them well. We all have certain things we do to cope with uncomfortable emotions, but more than anything, we must know that God is our Comfort and Holy Spirt is our Comforter.
Because of sin, we will experience pain and loss. It’s inevitable. People will hurt us. Sometimes in very grievous ways. But God! He never promised that our lives would be easy, but because we are His, He does promise to use our pain for good and for His glory. Romans 8:28 encourages us to know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.
John 14:26 says, the Holy Spirit also comforts us by: Interceding – praying for us when we don’t know what to pray. I encourage a lifestyle of prayer, especially as it relates to feeling the comfort of God no matter what season you find yourself in on your journey. Prayer invites God’s presence – filling us with his presence and peace. It is important to remember the promises of God through His word are YES and AMEN.
I believe purpose is birthed from a place of being uncomfortable because it allows us to stretch, to grow, to aspire to do different because there again, those feelings that come from discomfort are real! These times especially bring us closer to God and he uses every bit of whatever we go through to push us forward.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
“Great things never come from comfort zones” –Unknown–
Oftentimes, while it is great to stay in your lane, to operate in your gifts and callings, we must also understand most times the very things we are called to do can be uncomfortable at times. But God promises to finish the work he has begun in you.
One of many reasons God comforts us, is so we may comfort others along the way. Nothing is wasted on our journey. Your life is always ministering to someone else. Let us not be afraid to declare the goodness of God while we still have time.
God wants to use our brokenness. His Words tell us to: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. God will also use your brokenness to grow you in Christ and also bring you closer to him.
As we approach the day we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Son of God who willingly walked the road to Calvary carrying the cross we deserved and died a horrible death on our behalf, let us be reminded:
Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus is able to sympathize with our sufferings because He has experienced suffering. Jesus faced suffering in more ways than one. He knew what it was like to be rejected, abandoned, and scorned. He knew what it was like to grieve the loss of a loved one, to feel anxious, and to undergo the highest level of physical pain.
Christ’s comfort runs deep because His suffering runs deep. He knows our pain because He has felt our pain. Jesus not only knows our pain but enters into our pain, providing us with His perfect comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:4 tells us God comforts us in all of our afflictions. There is not one affliction that Jesus cannot overcome.
The comfort of family and friends is a beautiful blessing but it can only go so far. Each of our journeys are unique and laid out by God. He is the ONE who knows all about us and his love for us has no end. We are fearfully and wonderfully made and made in his image and we are constantly being perfected. Allow your life to brag on God by allowing others to feel his comfort through you-born out of your struggles. Even if we haven’t walked through exactly what another person has walked through, we can still reflect the comfort of God to them. Since God has walked with us through our pain, we can walk with others through their pain. It is great to have wise men and women around you but we should all be reminded that God is always listening and his heart or hands are never short concerning us. He sees, he knows and he cares.
You see, often times it is through great suffering that God does his best work in our lives, especially when we look back and know it was only HIM- and all the ways He continuously comforts us. Let’s always give him the praise he deserves.
While affliction is painful, God is with you in your pain, and He is working through your pain. He will use the suffering you have experienced or currently experiencing to comfort others who are suffering. The abundance of His comfort will overflow from us to others, bringing peace even in the deepest moments of pain.
We must remember even when our hearts and the world around us seem heavy, the Lord has overcome the world. We are His beloved heirs so we are overcomers too! God is always ready and able to carry our burdens and intercedes on our behalf.
Thank God for the eternal reality that while in this world we will have trouble, we serve a God in Heaven who will comfort us as we go through. Holy Spirit is a most gracious comforter and never leaves us alone.
I leave you with this blessing from Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
God Bless,
Tandra “Nikki” Turner