Odd Spiritual Equation

Hey, Y'all,

Today's RST is based on a devotional written by John Fischer of PurposeDrivenLife.com--I enjoyed it because it's an idea I've been rolling around in my head as well (good to know it's not just me :-) . Here goes...

"Comfort equals confusion. Calamity equals clarity." How’s that for an odd spiritual contradiction? No, it isn’t directly scriptural, but I have found it to be true of how Christ works in our day-to-day experiences.

In my own life, being comfortable can cloud the picture of what God is doing. A comfortable place often makes me lazy spiritually. I find myself praying less, seeking God less, and often finding it hard to recognize the voice of God in my life. Comfort takes the edge off, and walking in the Spirit is all about being on the edge, spiritually – being alert to the dangers around me and the temptations that always lurk so close at hand, whether I am aware of them or not. It was while his army was off to war that King David of Israel had the time and the leisure to have an affair with the wife of one of his generals.

And in this culture of relative affluence, we keep trying to seek more comfort when that may be the worst thing for us and something that God may prevent our achieving, at least for now. It’s not because he loves making us uncomfortable, but because he knows what it takes to make us walk by faith. It takes trial, and testing, and pressure for faith to grow in us, and he loves us too much to rob us of this opportunity. That’s why a little chaos usually clears things up. It' is in these moments of pain and pressure that our faith becomes real.

This is why Christians in troubled parts of the world always seem to be more passionate about following Christ. They are surrounded by calamity on every side, and yet their faith remains unshakable. They risk their lives to meet together with other believers. They consider a Bible the greatest treasure they could possess. They hold an immense amount of joy in their hearts in complete contrast to their situation.

On the contrary, when faith is taken for granted, as it is in our society, we often let spiritual things slide, and the result can be confusion about God’s will and our place in it. Our joy over temporal things competes with our joy in Christ. We start to treasure things that we are going to ultimately lose. So we get confused.

Not that I wish calamity on you or me, but I think we need to learn to welcome it as an opportunity to grow (read James 1:2-4 again). And I also think we need to be wary of anything that makes us think we are comfortable. Usually, it’s only short-lived and not something we want to derive comfort from anyway. So, if you're feeling a little brave today, pray this little prayer with me: "Lord, if we find calamity upon us, make our faith strong, and if we feel too comfortable, awaken us to distrust the source of our comfort if it is anything other than you."

Amen to that--you've been prayed for today...