Too Comfortable
And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:27-29
In life, there are days where you are just going through the motions. You go to work, where things might occur, and you are able to adjust your schedule to ensure all goes well. You come home and take care of your daily chores, and maybe spend some time with family, a loved one, and/or children. And then, you go to sleep. You want to be careful that this does not becomes a cycle of redundancy. Every so often, you have a moment to stop and pause. “What am I doing,” you might ask myself. It is not that you have lost a sense of who you are. However, there is something that needs to change because deep within, you know something is not right. It feels like this is not what God intended for you. As I looked in the mirror this morning, I asked myself that question. What am I doing?
This led me to thoughts about whether I am beginning to undervalue who God is. No, it is not that I do not see Him as Lord of my life or that He is not important. But there are parts of my life where I realize that I have recently left God out of. For example, when things go wrong, I do not let it impact me. I simply trust this is God’s plan, and that He will work it out. However, why would I not pray to Him for understanding and wisdom where I might gain something out of the situation? Should I not ask Him for a heart that cares about such things? It is great to have a perspective where you know God is in control, but here is the question. When you know this, are you becoming too comfortable with God?
We should always check the temperature of our relationship with God to see if there might be changes needed. Today’s verses focus on trusting God’s goodness to work things out for His will to be done. There is a difference though in trusting His purpose and us going through the motions. For example, when we say the Lord’s prayer, are we reciting it from memory or are we focusing on the words thinking of God and our hearts’ desire to be lock and step with Him? When we read the word, do we make sure we understand its intent and possible application or are we checking it off the list of our ‘To Do’ list? It is common that we can get into a routine where we are perfectly in sync with God, but it is important to not just be with God. We should also feel His presence and take a moment to appreciate His daily provisions. Perhaps we can make sure our prayers are less scripted and more based on what He means to us at that very moment. Maybe change daily reading to having one day of checking out a Devotional to give unique perspective. Even visiting or listening in to a different church can help give us a fresh perspective on how God works, and it may even challenge us to grow.
Our understanding of who God is ever evolving. Thus, if we feel ‘spiritually stuck,’ we may need to shake things up. It does not mean we do not know who God is or have lost love for Him. It may mean that we need to get a bit more uncomfortable in our relationship. That is a good thing because from discomfort comes spiritual growth, and growing with God is the best place to be! So, let us take a moment to pause ensuring we are continually growing in our relationship with Him. When is the last time you checked where your heart is with God? What change can you make to enhance your spiritual growth? My prayer is we continue to feel greater connection with God and do not get too comfortable. Amen.