Tag: growth

Called to Uncomfortable

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“Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Because Jesus loves you, He will challenge you to step out of your comfort zone.”

Matthew 4:21-22 NIV

When Jesus calls you to step out of your comfort zone it is because He wants your comfort zone to grow.

He will challenge how you see yourself and the limits that puts on your life.

He does not define you by what you do and He does not stop calling you to grow.

He calls you to live according to your full potential in Him.

And when your uncomfortable zone becomes comfortable- He will call you out of it …again. 

God loves you just as you are and that same love won’t let you stay that way.

You are not called to live a comfortable life, you have been called to an abundant life in Christ.

You have been called to go.

You have been called to grow.

If you think that God is calling you out of your comfort zone- HE IS.

It’s time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and live the life God has created you to live.

What comfort zone is Jesus calling you out of today?

When You Feel Like Giving Up

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When you feel like giving up, don’t.

There are gifts that only come from facing the hard things.

There is growth that only comes from holding onto God through the toughest times.

There is a maturity that only develops as you persevere when everything around you is uncomfortable, difficult, and hard.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 NIV

Don’t give up.

Hold on to Jesus and let perseverance complete you.

If you quit halfway through you will never know what God has for you.

He has a plan to complete you, to bring you to wholeness, to bring the parts that are broken and disconnected together knitted by His grace restored by His strength completed by His love.

Don’t quit.

Hold on and keep trusting.

You are worth it.

When You Feel Like Giving Up

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Tuesday

When you feel like giving up, don’t.

There are gifts that only come from facing the hard things.

There is growth that only comes from holding onto God through the toughest times.

There is maturity that only develops as you persevere when everything around you is uncomfortable, difficult, and hard.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 NIV

Don’t give up.

Hold on to Jesus and let perseverance complete you.

If you quit halfway through you will never know what God has for you.

He has a plan to complete you, to bring you to wholeness, to bring the parts that are broken and disconnected together knitted by His grace restored by His strength completed by His love.

Don’t quit.

Hold on and keep trusting.

You are worth it.

Take a Risk

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My relationship with Jesus has challenged me to do things I thought I never would do. It has expanded the borders of what I thought was possible in my life. It also has taught me to not hold on too tightly to my plans and to hold them all gently before Him.

My journey with Jesus has emboldened me to try and trust and risk.

Some ventures have worked, some have not.

But here is the thing, Jesus has used every one of them to grow me. 

The wonderful thing about being in a relationship with God is that while our plans don’t always work out, God always works His purpose into them no matter the outcome.

This life is not about doing all the right things, it is about letting Jesus grow the right things in you. God’s purpose for your life is that through a relationship with Him, He will grow you into who He created you to be.

“We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD’s purpose prevails.” ‭Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ MSG

My friend, go ahead and take the risk, bite off more than you can chew and dream big all the while knowing that you are safe in the hands of Jesus as He works His purpose in you through it all whether in success or failure.

Have a fear-free, try,  fail or succeed day in Christ.

Rest

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Wholeness takes time.

Abundant life in Christ includes abundant rest in Him.

Resting from trying to figure it all out.

Resting from worrying yourself sick.

Resting from trying to control everything and have the answers for everything.

“May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.

The One who called you is completely dependable.

If he said it, he’ll do it!”

1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:23-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Take a deep breath, slow down.

The very best thing you can do is rest in Him.

The Lord isn’t slow in keeping His promises,  He is faithful to complete what He has started and is completely dependable.

I know it isn’t easy and life may not make sense right now.

Hold on, my friend.

Let Jesus work.

Trust in Him.

Put yourself and what is weighing heavy on your heart into His Hands.

He is patient with you (and with others) because He sees more than you do, His reach extends yours and His knowledge is not hindered by time or eternity.

God knows real change takes time and He is willing to wait.

Rest in Him today and give yourself permission to stop worrying about things you can’t control.

Uncomfortable Obedience 

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All obedience is uncomfortable.
It will always challenge your comfort zones and ask you to do something new.

Obedience is a gift of trust.

When I ask my children to obey me, I am asking them to trust my love for them. I don’t ask it as a test, I ask them to follow my directions because I want the best for them.

“God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me— my whole life one long, obedient response.” (Psalm 119:33-40 MSG)

What do we need insight into? We need insight into God heart.

When I see God’s heart for me and all he has gone through to reach me (the cross and beyond), I realize that obedience is the gateway to prosperity and freedom. I realize he is asking me to trust him because he loves me.

Obedience is uncomfortable but it is the very best kindly uncomfortable – the kind that makes you grow.

If you have been praying for God to grow you, don’t be surprised when he asks you to do something that is outside of your comfort zones.

You don’t obey because it is comfortable, you obey because you trust God.

God is good.
Trust Him and take the leap.

Uncomfortable Obedience

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All obedience is uncomfortable. It will always challenge your comfort zones and ask you to do something new.

Obedience is a gift of trust.

When I ask my children to obey me, I am asking them to trust my love for them.

I don’t ask it as a test, I ask them to follow my directions because I want the best for them.

“God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me— my whole life one long, obedient response.” (Psalm 119:33-40 MSG)

What do we need insight into? We need insight into God heart.

When I see God’s heart for me and all he has gone through to reach me (the cross and beyond), I realize that obedience is the gateway to prosperity and freedom. I realize he is asking me to trust him because he loves me.

Obedience is uncomfortable but it is the very best kind of uncomfortable – the kind that makes you grow.

If you have been praying for God to grow you, don’t be surprised when he asks you to do something that is outside of your comfort zone.

Be uncomfortable for the right reasons- because you are trusting God.

The Pull of Grace

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We tend to gravitate to comfortable places inside and out. We return to what we know and go back to where we have always been.

But the pull of grace is that is draws us to trust, to risk and step beyond what we have always known and into what God knows.

He knows that you can do more than you thought, that you are stronger than you feel and that there are untapped talents lying dormant within you.

Do you feel the pull?

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.” (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭23‬ NLT)

You may be venturing into unknown territory and uncomfortable terrain but if you are drawn there by God’s grace then you will also be equipped with His power to accomplish it.

Not Lacking Anything

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Instead of trying to figure out the fastest way out of your current (uncomfortable) situation, figure out how to be aware of what God wants to do in you through it.

Why are you uncomfortable?

What fears does it bring to the surface?

Why do you want to run?

What does God want you to grow in?

The enemy would like to distract you with all the reasons why you shouldn’t be where you are or how badly you want out of it.

God wants to use it to bring understanding, growth and freedom that won’t come any other way.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ NIV)

Instead of trying to find a way around your current challenge, ask God to show you how to grow through it.

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God Is Not Done

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God is not done with you.

You are a work in progress, his unfinished masterpiece, his precious treasure.

He will not abandon your character to chance or sacrifice your growth to unforeseen circumstances.

He knows where you are, what you need and what will happen.

In fact, he will use the very conflict you are asking to get out of to grow you into the person he created you to be.

Hold on, God is not done with you, yet.

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. “(Philippians 1:6 NIV)