Philippians 4:12-13
Remember what our old pal St. Augustine said about “being pleased with ourselves?” The Villanova Wildcats remembered in 2018 as the defeated Michigan soundly to win the NCAA Division 1 basketball tournament. The team Chaplain had given the team this challenge: “If we are to attain what we have not yet we must always be displeased by what we are, for where we are pleased there we have remained.” This challenge was before them during the 2017 season at every practice and at every game…right up to March Madness. The Wildcats had learned a valuable life lesson…there is no growth in the comfort zone.
“When did we start believing that God wants to send us to safe places to do safe things? That faithfulness is, holding the fort? That playing it safe, is safe? That there is any greater privilege than sacrifice? That radical is anything but normal? Jesus didn’t die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous. Faithfulness is not holding the fort. It’s storming the gates of hell. The will of God is not an insurance plan. It’s a daring plan. The complete surrender of your life to the cause of Christ isn’t radical, it’s normal. It’s time to quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. It’s time to go all in and all out for the All in All.” All In—Mark Batterson, Pastor National Community Church, Wash DC.
Comfort Zones are danger zones. Comfort zones in our vision for our life tends to turn us into low hanging fruit for demonic forces to steal, kill and destroy. Remember no growth in the comfort zone…no comfort in the growth zone. Four life lessons I gleaned from being in combat supporting navy SEAL teams, snatching bodies, rescuing hostages, repelling attacks on allied outposts—often at night. 1. The only easy day was yesterday. This is a mantra of the Navy SEAL. Sometimes I pass this along to men working out at the “Y”…today is not an easy day…rather a day of purposeful energetic effort. 2. Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Why not…gets you into the growth zone. Avoid risk-averse like the plague! Be mature not puerile. 3. Don’t run to your death. Situational awareness…being cautious is not weakness…learn to access situations…don’t run to the death of your testimony…discern surroundings…before you engage your mouth…access before you pray. 4. Be all in…all of the time. Devote your full attention to what is in front of you…be alert…steadfast and immovable. Why be schizophrenic? Be of single-minded purpose. Reject a life of ease…vehemently!
Our old pal, Epictetus, gave us some sage advice about life and love. One invaluable nugget for me was this: “Our predicament is this, over and over and over again we lose sight of what is important and what is not.” Once that truth settles in, you will say…wow! If we lose sight of either, we will miss the prize.
Consider the sober personal assessment, challenge and single-minded goal setting Paul gave us in Philippians 3:12-14.
Barney Barnes, 02-28-2023, Warrior Spirit Ministries