Have you out-grown your comfort zone?

Out-growing is when...

...the luxurious home and playground of a fishbowl is reduced to a tight space for a fishie, who's doubled and tripled its original size... (If you've really never seen such a sight, you will not imagine the look of distress on the fishie's face! I can't imagine myself having to move into my own bathroom and stay there for the rest of my life either.)

...a favourite top has to be given away after a whole season of merry-making - eating sprees and neglect of exercise. When it seems to have shrunk a few sizes and shortened to mid-rift - and you know it's got nothing to do with the washing machine or some supernatural shrinking feat of cotton fibres. When no amount of tugging can bring it down comfortably to touch your waist without recoiling... Not a very pleasant experience. I've been there, done that...

...you have to start cutting new holes into your belt to increase its wrap-around circumference... Even more depressing than having to give away your favourite top I believe:P For me, it's out of mind, out of sight. Kind of. It's much harder to give away belts, btw.

...you have got 6 kids and 2 adults living in a 2-roomed apartment. Hehe... for my family, it was 2 kids and 2 adults living in a 3-roomed terrace house in Subang Jaya... and that was already a very challenging thing.

In a spiritual sense, in our walk with God, it's His transforming work upon our hearts, when...

...we've grown fed-up of wallowing in our pits of denial and complacency, grudges, unforgiveness or self-pity...
...we are starting to be restless in the captivities of the comfort we used to indulge in...
...what seemed safe in the past, now threatens to stagnate our growth...
...we've grown tired of avoiding risks and the uncomfortable to suit ourselves...
...what we accepted in order to fit into the world we live in becomes a challenge to the conscience...
...things we could well put-up with in the past with compromise on our part, start clashing with our personal devotion to the Lord.
...God convicts us to put behind the past and move on...

But perplexities of life remain perplexities of life.

How difficult it is to make the first step out of such comfort zones, even while it is tough staying in it! There's often a nolstalgic feel to a comfort zone... a sentimental tendency to want to linger in that familiar space which holds countless memories and investments. Also... the fears of stepping beyond the boundaries of the now uncomfortable comfort zone and facing the realms of the unknown.

I mean... I found it dreadful enough, when I had to move from my previous accomodation to my current apartment, even though my home now is way, way better... and even though I was way, way depressed squatting in the previous place for that few months.

It is always tough to let go of the things we've clung on so tightly to - to receive an unknown blessing that can only be beheld through the eyes of faith - a perspective of God.

I gave this some thought yesterday, while I was spending time with the Lord. Well, basically it's because I've got my own comfort zones which I've outgrown too.

Firstly, it's a matter of faith and trust. Nobody is perfectly brave and steel-hearted when they make the first baby step - but that very first step stretches our faith to trust God enough to take the next step.

Consider the biblical examples below:

• Peter readily stepping out of the boat to walk on the water at the call of the Lord VS. Lot who lingered in Sodom and Gomorrah, even after the Lord had called him out.
• Mary, the first to receive the Saviour come as person, into the world (into her womb) risking ridicule and persecution VS. Peter who denied Him during His trial to avoid ridicule and persecution.
• Ananias who obeyed God (in Acts 9 - love the story!) and went to restore the sight of blinded Paul well-known for his acts of persecution against the Church VS. Moses, who initially begged the Lord to send someone else when he was called to bring the Israelites out of their Babylonian captivity (Exodus 4:10-13)
• The rich man who found it so difficult to give up everything he owned for the Lord (Matt 19:16-23) VS. Zacchaeus the wealthy chief tax collector who repented before the Lord, and said, "Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." (Luke 19:1-10)

Amazing isn't it? We all know what subsequently happened to betraying Peter, insecure Moses... and even rebellious Jonah. God was merciful to call them out from their comfort zones a second time...and many other 'second times' for that matter!

In context, my dad (and Ben I think) love to quote: "You've got to do the very thing you fear the most!" I honestly need to try harder!:P Gotta seek God and ask Him how I can step out of it. Love the comfort, joy, strength and encouragement the Lord gives through godly counsel from my brothers and sisters in Christ too. You guys who have been so, so, so edifying and faithful in praying for me, I'm really grateful!

Secondly, it is a matter of opening our lives to a new season of creativity!:) Not only for ourselves... but for the people close to us as well.

End of last year, after having waited on God for a while with regards to where to go after my 9 months of work with the church and based on some confirmations I received from the Lord through His Word, people and my leaders, I made this very radical, rather intimidating (to me) decision to stay in full-time ministry and not go back to what I was doing in medicine. I felt really alone to at first - because... can you imagine? All the people who had graduated at the same time as I did from PMC are now practicing, earning doctors in hospitals all over the country... and all over the globe, kinda. Plus there were sure many people who discouraged me from giving up my medical career so early. The biggest issue I am currently facing as a result is how am I to support myself financially through the next three years of pursuing M. Div at the local seminary.

Bleargh. Hehe. I regret to say, that I have not been too brave or creative lah. I kept swinging between trusting God and crying tears of depression. Talk about being fickle-minded. I think it was by God's grace alone He kept me sane and weaned. But the hilarious thing about it was that it got my family and close friends excitedly thinking of ways I could pull through! I pray that the Lord would continue to guide us and more importantly, bring us to see His powerful hand of deliverance and glory through this.

Thirdly, forsaking our comfort zones brings us closer to the Lord... and more integrated into the fellowship of the Body of Christ. There's nothing much to explain here... I've never in my life written as much in my Omer of Manna or appreciated being in a care-group as much as I have in the past few years especially. Never.

My conclusion: When comfort zones become uncomfortable, it's a golden opportunity for growth indeed. May we who are in such a situation trust God and lean upon Him in faith. For no eye has seen and no ear has heard, the great things which the Lord has purposed and prepared for those who love and trust Him.