What if being outside your comfort zone involves less externally frightening action, and more inner development? Is the latest thrill just another way for me to avoid my heart and the growth that desperately needs to happen there? To dig into loneliness, fear, and the simply unlovable and unavoidable parts of my personality rather than keeping them stuffed in my "comfort zone?"
What would it look like to live my daily life in that state of mind? Not some sort of weird trance or extreme activity, but "outside of my comfort zone" as in the opposite of being busy/distracted/thrill seeking? I've been slowly working through what will probably be a constantly-reread-book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. And, wow. Talk about challenging. If you have a case of Spring Spiritual Plateau, check it out. You probably won't agree with everything, but you should be okay with that by now.
I love this description of worship from Pearl, which is my "almost committed, but not quite to the fb relationship stage" church.
"Many aspects of our worship are counter-cultural: silence, penitence, disciplined waiting, re-centered observance of holidays. By these impositions, our worship does not conform to our cultural or personal preferences. Instead we are asked to conform to its rhythm. In this we remember our place as strangers on this earth and in this place. When we don’t “feel like it” or struggle with doubts, the corporate directedness (sit, stand, say this, etc.) and cycle of the Church calendar can provide a framework for exercising what little faith we may have, reinforced by the greater Body of believers – those sitting next to us, as well as those who’ve gone before us. In this way we engage in spiritual calisthenics, submitting ourselves to the shaping work of corporate spiritual exercise."
Worship is an excellent reminder that we aren't called to be confined by our expectations and preferences, but transformed by another force entirely.Want to come with me some Sunday?
Update: If you have a few minutes, I love this guy's writing and appreciate his humor and generosity towards the churches he visits. I don't think I've ever been this open to God's work in my heart in unfamiliar/easily-criticized settings. Once again, I don't agree with everything, but it's super interesting. What do you think he'd say about your church?
