Comfort Zone

What are you afraid of or what makes you uncomfortable? Is it spiders? Is it heights? Or is it doing something out of character? Some people are afraid of public speaking but for me I've always been afraid of walking into a social event by myself not knowing a soul. That could have something to do with the fact that I'm an introvert who prefers to spend a Friday evening at home in a book or watching movies but last Friday I was determined not to sit at home. I went to hear someone that I've admired for quite sometime speak at a church I've never been to before and I went by myself.

Now that may not sound like a big deal but for me that was huge. Other than shopping or going to the movies I can count on one hand the times I've attended an event where I didn't know someone. I've always found some reason why I couldn't attend. I even missed a friend's wedding because of that fear but I am determined to not let that fear control me any longer.

Attending that event last Friday and even writing this blog are steps needed for me to continue down the path that God has for me regardless of what that path is. I don't know how many people will read this or why I should be doing things on my own but I do know that this is a time of preparation. Moses fled Egypt and lived with his wife and family while God prepared him to speak with Pharaoh. The apostles and many others waited in a room for the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt into the land God promised them and the apostles were responsible for the birth an rapid growth of the early church and while I don't think God's plan for me measure's up to Moses or the apostles I do believe that no matter what He's got planned it's important that I allow Him to move me out of the nice comfortable life I've always known. Scary isn't it?   

What do you choose?

Picture this...you wake up on a lovely Tuesday morning and as you start to get ready for work-turn on some music, turn on the shower, start brushing your teeth as the shower warms up-BAM! the power goes out. What do you do?

Well if you're me you instantly start checking to see if it's confined to the one room or if the whole house is affected. Once you realize it is the entire house you start freaking out in your mind because your car is stuck in your garage. Then you frantically call your parents for help getting your garage door open and as you're waiting for the phone call back saying they are on their way you remember that you have co-workers that live near you and you call one of them for a ride.

Yes that was the start of my day yesterday. Thankfully the power came on before my ride arrived and I was able to get my car out of the garage but that was just the beginning. Upon arriving for work most of the day was spent dealing with power outages in the building that affected not only our computers but the air conditioning as well. I will admit it was a trying day however as with every day I had a choice to make. I could look at the situation negatively or I could look at the situation positively knowing that either outlook was going to affect my day. I chose the positive.

Please know that I struggle with this every day, every hour, every minute, every second because it's so natural for me to complain and focus on the bad instead of the good but I try to remind myself that God's word calls for us to be beacons of light (Matthew 5:14-16) and I can't possibly be that if I'm surrounded by darkness (Ephesians 5:7-14).

So my question to you is this...would you rather live in the dark, dank, unfulfilled negative space or live in the beautiful, glorious space filled with light and hope? What do you choose?