A Life of Ease and Comfort
Isn’t that what we want—ease and comfort! It is the core value of the “Great American Dream!” So, let’s be honest—this “desire” affects many of the daily decisions (and purchases) we make. There is, however, a problem with chasing this “dream”…it works against God’s agenda for our lives. Here is the issue…
Our flesh desires comfort. It is the natural direction of our lives. The problem with comfort and ease is that it requires nothing of us spiritually—comfort and ease are the fertile soil for pride and self-sufficiency to grow (a quick glance at Biblical history bears this out!). Pride and self-sufficiency lead us away from God, and when we don’t need God—we don’t turn to Him (cling to Him, seek Him, or run to Him).
Brokenness, humility, and complete dependency are the virtues that cause us to develop spiritually. These are the heart-characteristics that cause us to seek God with all our hearts. They are the rich soil where the spiritual man blossoms—but they are NOT natural to us. So God, in His grace, leads us to places that “rock” our ease and “disrupt” our comfort. God does it because He loves us—not to punish us—but to help us turn back to Him or to “find” Him in a deeper way.
This was at the heart of the Apostle Paul’s revelation when he requested the Lord to “remove” his “thorn in the flesh” (II Cor. 12:7-10). The thorn had to be very uncomfortable!! He, like us, desired comfort…and asked God to remove it!! But God had a different agenda. God knew that Paul needed the thorn; and, with time, the Apostle Paul came to the same conclusion! He said it like this: “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak—then I am strong.” (II Cor. 12:10)
So—what do we do with this? First, understand that the “Great American Dream” of securing a life of ease and comfort should not be our ambition. While these may represent God’s blessings on one hand—they represent a liability on the other (see Deut. 8:10-19). God’s call upon us is to pursue Him…to run to Him…to cling to Him—this is His “Great Dream” for us! So when times of comfort and ease appear—be grateful—humbly grateful! And…when times of difficulty and hardship come upon us—learn to be content in them in Christ…and allow God to use them in your life to draw you closer to Himself. This is His “Great Dream” for us! In all things, trust in Him…seek Him…yield to Him. He will prove Himself to be faithful!