Comfort Zones

What is a comfort zone exactly? To me it is a place where we can relax and feel safe. No worries, no problems, no confrontations, just total peace and harmony awaits us there. 
Isn't that a wonderful place to be? It's my most favorite place! From the looks of this chipmonk in this picture, 
he's in his comfort zone too! How happy and serene he looks!

Many years ago, I heard a preacher preach on this very thing..."COMFORT ZONES". He said that if we are
in a comfort zone, we're in a place where we can't grow in the Lord. Growth comes from going through circumstances that are down right painful. They are filled with people who accuse us, attack us, and if they could...leave us for dead. 
Usually these people are like this because they see us as a threat. A threat only because they instinctively know
that we would never condone their actions against other people. Those who do things maliciously to others, always are very good at covering up their tracks and know when someone opposite of themselves is thrown
in the mix. Or quite possibly, the spirit within them knows the spirit within you.

There are two powers in the world....good and evil. Of course we all know that the "good power" is God, his son Jesus was crucified for our sins, who arose on the third 
day...and is now seated at the right hand side of God, His Father. He died for us, and presented Himself as the ultimate 
sacrifice for sin, to save us. All we have to do is ask for forgiveness, earnestly mean it, and it is done. It was done many years ago, on the cross....out of total love for us. This power is never disguised, it is what it is and always will be....LOVE.

The evil power is ALWAYS powered by satan. The evil power comes disguised in many packages, so as to hide itself, sometimes as something good. This is why we will see something that appears to be very good...and later
find that it came out of the pits of hell. Sometimes we can be deceived. There is a gift that all Christians should ask for, the power of discernment.
Passage Colossians 1:9-10:
9For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [[c]in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--
10That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and [d]desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, [e]acquaintance, and recognition].

Our purpose in life, is to grow in the knowledge of the Lord...and become pleasing in His sight. To go out, and do things that He asks us to. Discernment into the spiritual world is a necessary tool. For instance, have you ever met someone and instantly felt "uneasy" around them? You can't "see" any reason that you should feel this way about them...because they seem extremely nice. But you just can't shake that uneasiness. This possibly may be the gift of discernment working in you. ALWAYS take heed to that feeling. You will find out that the person was someone whom could not be trusted. Discernment is a gift that should be asked for, along with wisdom and understanding. Again these are necessary tools to get us through life, available to all who ask.

Now back to comfort zones:) I LOVE my comfort zones! However through my life, I haven't gotten to stay in them long. I try desperately hard to stay, and one circumstance after another, I'm shoved out of it. I find myself in situations that I don't want to be in. I hate confrontations and strife. If possible I run the other way. But God seems to want me in situations where there is just that. He knows me well enough, that He has to PUSH me out of the comfort zone. Then He also knows that I will do what is right...eventually. He also knows that I have always protected others less fortunate...and have a special place in my heart for them. I have never felt that they were beneath me, nor do I like any one's attitude where they elevate themselves over them. I will fight tooth and nail, in a very discreet and quiet way. If the quiet way doesn't work, then and only then...will I go to the next level. But ONLY if God provides a way. If God isn't in it, don't do it! Wait for Him, He will guide you each step of the way. He will even put you into conversations that the devil doesn't want you to hear. You watch and listen, waiting for the General to give you the next step. He always does. After all, we are in a army...the army of God. There is a war going on right in our midst. If you have accepted God as your personal savior, then you have enlisted in the best military on this earth! If God is for us, who can be against us?