Do you have big dreams to change the world but wondered how you could do it? Scared because getting out of your comfort zone was already so hard? Maybe you questioned God if he made a mistake in placing you where you are at?
I sat at church service one morning asking God, "Are you sure God that I am in the right place you want me to be? Are you sure I didn't make a mistake for choosing this ministry?" I wanted to change the world and make a difference, but I could not even seem to have the courage to be bold and share God's word in my own little college ministry that I was serving. I felt uncomfortable with the people in my ministry and I did not seem to "fit in" with them. I told God that I didn't think this was the right place for me because it just did not feel comfortable. But that was when God revealed to me his truth:
Staying comfortable does not mean that you are at the right place.
He opened my eyes to those missionaries who go out to countries in poverty, serving others out of their comfort zone. God reminded me of one of my church members who was moving to China as a missionary. He said, "Do you think that he "fits in" with the villagers in China? Do you think that the environment he is in is comfortable?" From there I realized that if I only wanted to be at comfortable places, I would never be able to be used by God in the way that he wanted to use me.
Do not focus on the comfort of the people or environment that God has called you into, instead focus on your purpose from God. We can depend on God to help us overcome our insecurities and succeed at what he has called us to do. Do not depend on the comfort of this world, but on the comfort of God. God's comfort is enough to get you outside your comfort zone.
God does not only use you in your comfort zone, but he also uses those uncomfortable places where only you can make the impact that he has planned for. Although I hesitated on continuing my ministry that day, I am glad I still obeyed God and served my college ministry. That night I had the opportunity to pray for a young girl and at the end of that prayer we both found God in the midst of everything. Because of my courage to step out of my comfort zone, I was able to help that young girl. If I had decided that staying uncomfortable wasn't the place for me, I would never had that chance to change someone's life that God had planned for me to do.
I have been seeking for ways to change the world, when little did I know that I already had the power to change the world- it starts from where I am now. To change the world starts from getting out of your comfort zone. It is ok to feel uncomfortable because God never said our mission from God would be a comfortable one. Satan wants us to stay comfortable because our comfort zone will never allow us to accomplish life changing miracles. If we never go out of our comfort zone, we will never be able to accomplish the great plans that God has prepared for us. He has prepared an amazing plan for all of us, but he is just waiting for us to walk outside our comfort zone.
The story of Jonah is a great example of how going out of your comfort zone brings a great reward. Jonah denied God's calling for him to go to Nineveh because of how dangerous and evil the people were. Nineveh was definitely a place where the people and environment was uncomfortable for him. However, at the end Jonah agreed to preach to Nineveh which ended up saving the city. Jonah 3:10 says, "...they turned from their evil ways, God relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened" It took Jonah one choice of going out of his comfort zone to save a whole city from destruction.
I now have changed my definition of what my comfort zone is: My comfort zone is anywhere where God is with me. As long as God is with you, he will help you accomplish anything, like what he did for Jonah. No matter how dangerous or uncomfortable your calling is from God, trust him that his comfort alone is enough. Psalms 121:7 says, "The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life."
If your dreams are to change the world, I challenge you to start from where God has placed you now. Don't wait for that big opportunity- start from now and those little opportunities will lead you to greater ones. Even simply reaching out to a stranger that's our of your comfort zone is a great place to start. We tend to only reach out to people who are close to us, without realizing that we have so many opportunities to share God's word to strangers outside our comfort zone. There are more strangers out there than people who we know, which means more opportunities.
Make use of every opportunity that God brings to you. Colossians 4:5 says, "Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." Don't limit yourself to only your comfort zone because God has greater plans that you can only reach from going out of your comfort zone. Trust God and remember that anywhere with God should be your comfort zone. So remember, you can change the world from just a leap of faith.