Choosing the uncomfortable to find true comfort…

In January of 2016, the word comfort or comfortable kept showing up in everything I read, everything I saw, heard, and so on. The funny thing was I didn’t get a “comfortable” feeling each time it happened. It’s that feeling I get when daylight is almost gone, the sun is set and you’re trying to pull in every last bit of light you can. I feel uneasy, did I do all I wanted to today? But why was this one word popping up everywhere and bothering me? Of course, looking up the definition and digging deeper is a must for me. Yes, I know what it means; however, reading definitions will at times unlock something in me, in my heart, my thoughts, in my weaknesses or my strengths. Here is the definition I read:
Comfortable: not having or causing any physically unpleasant feelings; allowing you to  
     be relaxed; causing no worries, difficulty or uncertainty.

Well that sounds nice. Don’t you think so? Being relaxed, causing no worries. This is what people strive for in life or “say” they long for after a busy day or week. We were comfortable in our life, with our family, for the most part. Yes, there was some normal stress with schedules, finances, raising four kids, marriage, business, jobs, etc. But we had our health and a happy family and that’s all that matters…right? Instead, I was annoyed, and frustrated. I realized we had settled for this so called “comfortable” life. Face it, we were busy and we wanted to stop and relax some. You know we’ve only got so much time here on earth so “comfort” is a necessity. BUT we didn’t just take a breather, we had completely stopped! We put the car in park, covered it and locked the garage door! We stopped pushing for more, for greater, for our dreams, for our no matter whats. We backed away from the “uncomfortable” situations or more accurately, the opportunities that presented themselves as hard work and servant leadership. We had settled for a good life instead of fighting for a great life.

Yes, at this point you may stop reading, you may think I’m a bit crazy for being annoyed with our “comfortable” life. I may just have a bit of crazy in me! I have always had a passion for helping others, especially my own flesh and blood, and I desire greatness in their lives, mine as well. That passion and desire were being squashed by my comfortable choices, sitting around with no worries, no difficulties, just relaxing. And to clarify, by “just relaxing and sitting around” I mean doing the normal day in and day out “to do’s”. Those things we do to merely survive and try to keep our household moving. But if there is no difficulty in life, or we never face uncertainty, or any physically unpleasant feelings, then nothing is truly changing. There is no movement, forward progress or momentum if at all in our lives. Was this where I wanted to be, to stay in the comfort of this good life, free of worry? NO! I wanted to break myself free of it, I was truly not at peace. It was time to get uncomfortable in this life and pray someday, somehow I’d find true comfort in the uncomfortable!

Well, to get uncomfortable, you need to change some things. When one changes, you undergo a transformation, you pass from one phase to another. There will be an essential difference that often amounts to a loss of your original identity. You are becoming different and of course this will bring about uncertainty, difficulty and worry (the comfortable feeling is gone!). (Side note: I do not like or enjoy change; it is a constant struggle.) This is the most testing time of all. Here is where your visions and dreams, those things that fueled this change process, can be attacked. Fear will rear its ugly head during these uncertain times. The tension is so tight, it’s so much easier to let go, you may get sucked back in to the “comfortable” life. Thoughts of…”if I would’ve just left the car parked and covered, I wouldn’t be facing this right now” may creep from the back of your mind to the front of your mind. Do not put the car in reverse and go back into the garage. Open your mouth, speak out the words of life to take back your life and kick fear to the curb. Don’t ever let fear creep into your heart. It will get more uncomfortable the closer we are to the opportunity waiting for us, to the breakthrough that’s right around the corner. This time of testing and tension is actually the time we need to move forward even faster. It’s NOT time to sit idle. You’ve already uncovered the car and pulled it out of the garage. You might as well get in, put your foot on the gas pedal and hold it down to the floor. Drive forward, don’t look back, look straight ahead.

So, is it not until I reach my destination, or when my dreams become reality that I will finally be comfortable again? When does it happen? How do I find comfort in this new uncomfortable life I am creating for myself. I realize, of course, this is my choice to change and to live in the uncomfortable. But I’d love to figure out how to enjoy life IN the process, DURING the uncomfortable times.

I love how God works in my life, He answers everything in His time, not mine. Walk by faith, not by sight. Getting uncomfortable and not knowing all the answers or my next steps is walking by faith and not by sight. Once I let go of the control of my life, and the uncomfortable began, soon the happiness and joy came rushing back in! It took me a whole year of choosing to live in the uncomfortable, to change things that were no longer serving to bring about the best me. Then, and only then, to realize this entire process is actually when you find the comfort in the uncomfortable. The tension, testing, uncomfortable living and fighting for greatness actually creates and brings JOY in my life! This was CRAZY nonsense at first. What is JOY? It is a feeling or state of great happiness; success in doing, finding, or getting something; an emotion evoked by well being, success or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. By going after what we desire most, we will experience joy and comfort in our lives!! Joy doesn’t happen “to” us. It happens “in” us. It happens when that transition takes place, the phase of moving from one season to another. It’s not about what we did or where we are going but how are we choosing to live TODAY. Choosing to find joy in the uncomfortable brings comfort to TODAY and it will continue to fuel your dreams, your determination and your fight for greatness.

This quote used to be in my signature line of my emails. Then most everyone stopped emailing! It was honestly there for me, something I needed to read daily. But I had more people respond to my emails and make a comment about the quote.
     The 3 C’s of Life: Choices, Chances, Changes!
     You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change

You must always make a choice, in everything you do, everyday. You must take chances, walk by faith, trust in His strength and His will for your life. Deciding to do nothing is also a choice. The beauty is…it is up to each of us. We get to write our own adventure, we get to design our life, Lord willing. I will choose to live in the uncomfortable in search of greatness and I will continue to find joy in every single day!