“There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.” — Carl Sandburg 

Who doesn’t love their comfort zone? Well, what’s not to love? It’s C-O-M-F-O-R-T-A-B-L-E, kind of like a warm mud hole.

But what happens when God calls you out of your comfort zone? What if He means for you to soar like an eagle, but you’d rather wallow in the mud like a hippo? When He calls, do you pretend you don’t hear Him?  Maybe He will give up and move on to someone else.

“Ask someone else, Lord. Please don’t ask me to do that one thing that I don’t want to do. Let me serve You my way.” There is only one problem with serving Him my way. He is God, and I am not. Because He loves me, He simply will not give up.

The God of More has been calling me out to More in my ministry, Grace In The Wilderness, for a while now. He has been saying, “Go.” I have given Him every excuse I could think of not to move. I have reasoned it away. “But, Lord, you are using me where I am. If it’s not broken, let’s not fix it. Okay? Besides, ’go’ where?”

One Sunday night on my way to church before the end of 2019 after Scott and I had agreed we were prepared to follow God’s calling, I asked God to give me one more clear confirmation (Number 277, I think).  That night I know our Pastor was looking right at me when he said, “You have two choices. You can answer God’s call on Your life, or you can be disobedient.” A few weeks later, he preached about the parting of the Jordan River. He said, “Miracles happen, but you have to stick your foot into the water first.” Then in Sunday School, Priscilla Shirer started her video with “Faith without works is dead.” Okay, et tu, Priscilla? 

Then there was the tree guy who was cutting down trees in our yard after that terrible storm we had a few weeks back. I asked him if I would be safe working in my warehouse while he was cutting the trees. He said that if I heard a crack to run. I said, “Don’t worry. I will be in the warehouse praying.” He said, “You can pray all you want, but nothing will happen to get you out of the way if a tree falls in your direction unless you get up and move.”

Like Gideon in the Bible, I have questioned God. “Lord, I know You sent me a purple elephant through the room to confirm that it is You calling, but, if this is really, really, really what You want for us, could you please have him dance and wear a pink polka dotted tutu next time?” In whirls the dancing purple elephant. “Okay, Lord we hear you. We’re going. We’re going.”

He has given me and my husband confirmation more times than we can count. I’ve never been more sure about anything while feeling so reluctant at the same time. The internal battle has been fierce, but in the end, our King has spoken. He said, “Go”, and we must obey.

I am so glad He is patient and merciful. I would hate to end up like Jonah. He ran from God’s calling, then lived in a fish’s belly for 3 days and was thrown onto land in a pile of fish vomit. No thanks! Yuck!

If only my story could end up like Jonah’s. God used him to lead the 120,000 people of Ninevah to repentance and they were spared from destruction. But then again, after that Jonah pouted about it. Man, that story sounds so familiar. Like I said, He is God, and I am not.

God’s ultimate goal is to make His children more like Jesus. Because He loves us so much, He keeps chiseling away anything in our lives that is not like Jesus. And it hurts sometimes. Since we can never be fully like Jesus, the Sculptor just keeps chiseling. Servanthood is faith and submission. Often He calls us to do what we don’t want to do, but God blesses obedience. 

Observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go. 1 Kings 2:3

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11

Perhaps you are hearing His call too. Is He asking you to step things up where you are? Is the God of More calling you to More? To a place of deeper surrender? Will you answer and soar or keep hanging out in that warm mud hole?

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

—”Oceans”, Hillsong

I would love to hear your experiences, thoughts and comments.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May we each be found faithful when God calls us out of our comfort zone.