Why Does God Call Us To Leave Our Comfort Zones?

Five years ago, I got the crazy idea to write a book. Ironically, I didn’t even have a topic in mind. I just felt the urge to write one. Since the urge didn’t go away, I began to explore the idea. One step led to another until I finally launched the book last Tuesday.

At each step of the process, from cementing the concept, to creating the outline, to drafting the chapters, to editing and rewriting, and finally to publishing, I felt overwhelmed. I remember staring at my computer screen and wondering how I ever thought I could write a whole book. Yet miraculously, with help from so many people, God continued to show up and lead me through the process. 

This experience reminds me of one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament. The story opens at a time when the Israelites were in distress. Because of their disobedience, God allowed their enemies, the Mideonites, to raid them and destroy their crops and livestock. After seven years the Israelites cried out to God for help (Judges 6:1-6).

After reminding the Israelites that their disobedience caused their troubles, God moved to help them. He sent an angel to a young man named Gideon who, in an effort to protect his crop from the Mideonites, was threshing his wheat in a wine press (Judges 6:7-11). In this unlikely place, Gideon received a special calling from the Lord:

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:12 NIV)

I like to imagine how Gideon felt at this moment. Here he was, hiding from the Mideonites and yet God called him a mighty warrior and clearly had plans for him ~ plans which meant he would have to leave the comfort of his hiding place and face the enemies of his people.

I love Gideon’s response. He expressed doubt, first in the One who called him:

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (Judges 6:13 NIV)

God reassured him with these words:

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14 NIV)

But Gideon expressed doubt again, this time in himself:

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” (Judges 6:15 NIV)

Again, God reassured him:

The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” (Judges 6:16 NIV)

Despite all these reassurances, Gideon continued to doubt God and asked for confirmation through responses to specific prayers (Judges 6:36-40). God not only answered his prayers, but He faithfully led Gideon through the process, which included whittling down his army from 22,000 men to 300. With this small army Gideon did defeat the Mideonites (Judges 7). But it was clear to him, and all of Israel, that the victory came because they relied on the Lord’s strength, and not their own (Judges 7:2; Judges 7:22). 

I can relate to Gideon on so many levels. Whenever the Lord calls me to a specific task, I immediately doubt:

Is it really the Lord calling me to this?
Am I equipped to fulfill this calling?

Each time He reminds me to go in the strength I have, and to know He is with me. And He faithfully reassures me throughout the process by answering my specific prayers. Eventually He leads me to the outcome He desired ~ an outcome which could only be achieved by relying on His strength.

When we step out of our comfort zone, we step into God’s calling for our lives.

And as we fulfill His calling for our lives, we not only experience His victories, but we also glorify Him with our faith. 

Wherever our life journey takes us, I know we will be called to step out in faith and fulfill a special calling. In those times I pray we will go in the strength we have, knowing that the One who calls us will be with us.