Getting out of the zone...

Lately I've noticed that I've fallen into a zone. You know, that personal little comfort zone that's so easy to stay in because it feels so nice and warm and pleasant inside. Nothing can hurt you in the zone. You don't have to commit to anything you don't want to, you never have to take any risks, and you always feel at ease. It's just life floating on by, like a lazy river.

It's also not really living. Or not living how we're called to live.

I used to be more adventurous. In Germany, I always felt out of the zone. It wasn't easy, I'll admit. I often felt humiliated by my inabilities and cultural misunderstandings, but I felt alive. I felt like I was risking something by being there. I felt like every day was something new, something different, something for me to learn. And I grew so much when I spent life out of the zone for 2 years there. It was often painful growth, but growth nonetheless. But that's the thing about getting out of the zone...you have no assurances of what may occur and it somehow it never seems to be what you expected. But ask anyone living outside of the zone and they'll tell you they wouldn't trade it for the world.

So, here I am...trekking along in my own little world, consumed by my own desires and comforts, and I'm saying it's time to humiliate myself again. It's time for some growth, even if it's painful. It's time to get out of the zone and do something I never thought I would do or something I always wanted to do but never have. I'm tired of just living a comfortable life, not taking any chances and not allowing God to guide my footsteps. I'm tired of saying no to perfectly great opportunities to do something amazing with my life, just because I'm fearful of not knowing what may happen. God didn't call us to be lukewarm in life. And that's what I feel like the zone signifies...a lukewarm attitude on life.

I'm not saying that I know exactly what "getting out of the zone" will mean for me, yet. But, I have certain impressions of what it could be and I'm asking God for a better awareness. I know that whatever it may be, it will be far more fulfilling than this "lazy river" lifestyle in the zone.

"And I said, 'Here am I, send me.'" - Isaiah 6:8