Don't Get Too Comfortable

I remember pulling out of my father's driveway when I was 22 years old.  My Volkswagen Fox towed the packed Uhaul with just about all my earthly possessions toward Salisbury, NC. That was the first time I moved away from home.

Three years later I packed a larger Uhaul as I transitioned from Salisbury to Western NY.  That was in 1998.  From August 16, 1998 until August 23, 2015 I served the same church. In those 17 years I met lots of beautiful, faithful people.  I grew in many ways and had many challenges.  One important note to make is that after that amount of time things can get comfortable!

The problem with that is as believers, we shouldn't be comfortable in our walks.  Please understand what I'm saying.  We should have peace, joy, and an internal confirmation of our eternal destiny.  Bt we shouldn't get comfortable.  Why?  Because when we get comfortable we get lazy and caught off guard.

I recently heard a news story about a guy who was bitten by a rattlesnake while trying to snap a selfie.  The bite resulted in the doctors having to remove his hand.  He got too comfortable.  He got lazy.  He ignored the multiple series of rattles produced by the snake.

"Crotalus horridus (1)" by Tad Arensmeier from St. Louis, MO, USA - Timber Rattlesnake. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Crotalus_horridus_(1).jpg#/media/File:
Crotalus_horridus_(1).jpg

In Ephesians 6:12 we learn that "...we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."  And we better believe these powers are out to get US!  What better way is there for the enemy of God's own people to gain victory than by sidetracking a believer.  I know because I spent a long time being sidetracked.

I've been sidetracked by many things, even by addiction.  I'm sure there are some out there who could use me as their excuse for not following Jesus.  I've lied, I've deceived, and I've manipulated.  I regret that.  I've asked for forgiveness wherever I can, and people have been gracious.

But you know what?  Even though I have failed time and time again God still choses to forgive me.  And because of that I fight.  I fight almost every morning when I sit with my cup of coffee in my den, talking to God.  I fight when I'm singing words of praise.  I fight when I read God's Word (the Bible).  I fight when I stop doing what I'm doing to speak a word of encouragement.  Sometimes I fight by responding with kindness when I'm attacked with harsh words.  I fight when I teach my children about Jesus.  I fight when the enemy tries to cause enmity between Jen and me.  And I fight when I step out in faith.

The point I hope you take away from this post is that we are at war all the time.  If you are a child of the King (followers of Christ), then you are a "wanted" person.  You are especially "wanted" if you are being effective for the Kingdom of God.  

So here's the warning - don't get comfortable.  Don't flirt with danger.  Take this faith walk seriously because there is a lot at stake.  If you don't, you just might get bitten!