Are we too comfortable?

Dear friends,

It's the day after Thanksgiving, otherwise known as Black Friday.  For many years, I would be amongst the crazy holiday shoppers, sifting through the advertisements to plan out the best way to hit all the stores for the best deals, especially in electronics...those days are gone with the advent of internet shopping and my realization that time and rest are becoming higher priorities, scarcer commodities.

As many of you know, I've looked and waited 18 months, for a full-time job and the Lord has been gracious to provide.  He is always faithful!  However, the routine and things I was used to, waking up, enjoying breakfast, going to the gym, having prolonged time in the Word, are now very much different as I join millions of others in the world of Work.  I see how much I like taking in the morning slowly, with ease, and doing the things that make me most happy and calm.

With that, I've stumbled across a theme in my life, am I getting too comfortable with the way things are or how I wish them to be?  Being loved, feeling warmth, freedom from pain, noise, obnoxious smells, having financial security, peace/hope and knowledge of a great future including spouse and family.

I was reading a passage in Matt. 4 about not living by bread alone...and I stopped to reflect on how much I hate the feeling of hunger and how much my life can be somewhat dominated by that. I asked the Lord to reveal what other idols had taken hold.  I'm still so consumed with "me", tired of waiting, of traffic, of being inconvenienced or annoyed by others...in a way that is both sad and humbling...why is it that this selfishness still lies within?

And yet, it's all quite paradoxical, because this is not our home, and the Lord is faithful to keep us "unsatisfied" in many senses (not to be confused with discontentment), and I pray that He continues to make me uncomfortable because it is for my own good.  So ask yourself the hard questions, about when you last assessed your spiritual condition, what you're doing to love the Lord and others more...that it's not about you and what makes you comfortable, but how you're serving in a selfless and sacrificial way because it's Sanctifying for your soul!

I know I have to keep working on it, put off, AND put on.  It's like J.C. Ryle says, not moral living but living in the Spirit.  I pray that you are all well. I will try to be better at blogging more regularly.  :)

Grace and peace to you.