28
Mar

Stretching Spiritually

I love being warm and comfy. I have my favorite chair that I can wrap up in a super cozy blanket and sit with a book, or sip some spiced tea and watch a movie with my family. We have our comfy spaces even in church where we sit during a sermon and who we serve with, our comfort zone. Over the past 2 years God has continued to repeatedly move me out of my “comfort zone”. Sometimes I go easily and sometimes I have to argue with him before I go where he is sending me. My brother-in-law has told me this is when we are being stretched. Just like in athletics,stretching serves a purpose. It lengthens you, it moves you into a different position, it is aways uncomfortable and often leaves you sore. This is not a fun process, but it makes you better.

In my walk with Christ, this “stretching” has made me a better servant. 2 1/2 years ago we had a new women’s Bible study with a group of 8 ladies and it was cozy, intimate and I loved it. Then when the next semester started a new session began, we had tripled in size and before our first session began Amy had told me that we were going to have to break up into 3 small groups. We would need leaders for these groups to facilitate this study. We were doing a study by Beth Moore, I LOVE BETH!! She speaks to my heart and rarely does she finish her video that I’m not thinking…now that is how a Bible study is done. I love Beth. This day was very different as I sat and looked at the video without hearing a word she had spoken. Instead I fought with God. I didn’t want to lead one of these groups but he fortunately kept nudging me. Finally, I just decided that I would put it out there and IF they needed help, I would be willing to serve. I told Amy and she said “good” because she already had my name down as one of the leaders. How does that even happen? It wasn’t easy, but that was my first step into women’s ministry. To say I was stretched during this first Bible study is an understatement.

This has happened so many times during the past 2 years, and I thought I was serving Him like He was calling me to serve. Looking back over the past few months, I was cozy, maybe too cozy. I should have known that something was going to change, and it did. It was this project #IKnowHim. Even over the past few weeks as we have started to write and blog I felt like this is it. Uncomfortably stretched, but finding my groove. Then Rachel or I talk to someone or we get an inspiration and you feel the STRETCHING. Like today the human in me spoke in fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of someone I don’t know reading my words and seeing my flaws, fear of what God is doing here/now, fear that I’m not enough…but God is. He is enough and in his arms I will find my comfort and my Peace.

James 1:2-4 tells us “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result,that you may be perfect and complete,lacking in nothing.” I pray that I won’t go back to my comfortable cozy spot and instead keep striving to serve my King even when I’m stretched out of my comfort zone.

Be bold, be brave, be blessed,

Whitney