Out of Comfort, Into Courage: By Shona Neff
“Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand.” “But Lord how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
“I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” ”Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? I have never been eloquent of speech.”
A command. An excuse.
Excuses exist for many reasons, but mainly because we focus on the wrong thing . . . ourselves. Excuses are an extension of self.
“Pray with that man on the corner and give him some money.” “Me? But there are others better equipped to minister like that.”
“Take that new mother and her family a FULL dinner.” “What? You know I hate to cook!”
God’s commands meet with excuses every day. It isn’t right, but yet that is what many Christians do. Gideon tried to get out of saving Israel from the Midianites because he focused on his origins being the weakest of the weak (Judges 6). Likewise, Moses focused on his weak speech and being a “nobody”. (Exodus 3 and 4). By thrusting their weaknesses in the forefront, they put their omnipotent God on the sidelines.
It takes guts to step out of our comfort zones and into courage. But, really, that is what Christianity is all about. Isn’t it? God never asks us to do anything He hasn’t already done or experienced Himself. Remember that carpenter named Jesus? He was probably pretty comfortable in heaven, but He “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7 NRSV) in order to save man. Jesus offered God NO excuses when His mission was formed.
When God takes us out of comfortable places He equips us for success. Joshua heard the words, “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9), and conquered Jericho. All throughout Joshua’s leadership of Israel, those words were his constant companion: Deuteronomy 31:7, 23; Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, and 18. It’s not a stretch to think he heard that phrase so often because he faced quite a mission as the leader of the Lord’s earthly army. God commanded; Joshua put off comfort and stepped into courage.
I may not have conquered a city, but I mustered up enough courage to pray for that man on the corner and give him money. He’d been on a cross-country journey and was stuck in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He confessed that the money would probably go toward a bus ticket to Phoenix. That scene set the stage for God’s next command, the following week, for me to cook for a young family. Oh my, I do not enjoy cooking, but I was truly blessed when I dropped the meal off. It was sweet to see the newborn baby girl doted on by her sisters and parents. Yes, it took courage for me to cook that meal, but I stepped out when the command came. No excuses.
Our challenge as Christians is to quit making excuses when God gives us a command. Don’t worry because He will be right there with you. Step out of comfort and into courage!
©2013 Shona Neff
