Insight into the Divine Discomfort

There is a practical concept in theology called the divine discomfort. The idea here is there are times when God leads us into various kinds of discomfort in order for us to experience or effect change. I really experienced this when God called me into the ministry, because I was very comfortable in my life. I had a job I loved and was in a relationship that meant a lot to me. The discomfort came when the young lady I was dating and I went to see the old Tom Cruise movie, “Jerry Maguire.” In the movie, Maguire realizes that the job he has, working for a mega sports management company, is running contrary to his purpose. He gets fired and then starts his own firm with a vision for providing a different kind of service to his clients. Well, after my date and I saw this movie, she broke up with me, not because I wasn’t a catch, but because she could clearly see that I wasn't living according to my purpose. We broke up and I was devastated, but through prayer and reflection, I was able to see how she was correct. I then applied to seminary, left the job I loved, began my vocational ministry, and embarked on a new journey that LITERALLY changed my life. It all worked out well, because once my life was back on track, God brought that young lady and I back together and we married two years later! When Tiffany and I got back together, though, we were both changed!

Discomfort leads to change. Like in health, exercise can lead to discomfort in painful muscles, but muscles get bigger and stronger as they heal. A new healthy diet can cause discomfort when we miss our favorite junk food, but realize better energy levels and smaller waist sizes. This does not mean it is easy or comfortable, because often times it is not. By nature, we are creatures that are averse to change. In biology, this is called homeostasis as all organisms in stress want to return to balance and comfort. What we aren’t always able to do is filter good from bad in our search for comfort. This is why despite our better intentions, we will reach for the cookies and fall to the couch despite our better judgment. We get in our routines and before we know it, we are practically immovable. Think of it this way: you can’t spell routine without rut. This does not mean that our routines and habits are bad, but if we get so entrenched that we are incapable of seeing or agreeing to God leading us in a new way, we have a problem.

The good news is God deliberately places times and events in our lives that call us to make an honest assessment of how we are living, and maybe...just maybe...embark on a new grand journey that will leave us changed! Lent is one of those times. Lent calls us to discomfort as we take a look at our lives and realize that we are mortal. Lent calls us to discomfort as we realize we cannot save ourselves and we need a Savior! Getting closer to God can often lead us to a time and place of discomfort as we break some of our old habits and begin new ones that reflect the image of God to others. If we add a new discipline – like praying or giving – we might feel some discomfort from missing time or money. If we are giving something up and fasting, we might experience discomfort; yet, once the unfading glory of Easter comes, we will come to see just how true it is that life isn’t about us, but about the love and grace of God in our lives that we are also called to share with others.

If God is taking you through a time of discomfort, know it is for a purpose. You are being given an opportunity to make a change that will change you, and likely others, for eternity! Jeremiah 29.11 tells us that God has a purpose for us, to give us a future with hope, but to realize that, we often have to embark on a new journey that we are reluctant to begin on our own. My prayer for you this Lent is that you will (1) take an honest assessment of your life; (2) spend time with God to discern where He wants to lead you; and (3) make the necessary changes to allay the discomfort – not for comfort's sake – but in order to follow the Lord wherever He leads.  For as Jesus had to spend time in the wilderness, there are times when we will, too. But think about what we might be able to experience on the other side! 

Today is Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, an annual “celebration” in the church that marks the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of worshipers as a reminder of human mortality and as a sign of repentance to GOD. Ashes were used in the Bible as a way to show mourning and reliance on GOD; for example, the prophet Daniel said, “I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3).” As we gather for Ash Wednesday worship tonight, we will celebrate with the imposition of ashes as we remember from dust we came and to dust we will return. This recollection of our mortality places us in the correct posture, if you will, by which to prepare for Easter through the season of Lent.

Lent lasts 40 days (six weeks, excluding Sundays) and it is to remind us of the time Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan (see Luke 4.1-11). This is a time when Jesus fasted, prayed, and spent time alone with GOD the Father to help prepare Him for His public ministry. And it was a good thing, too, because according to Luke, as soon as Jesus came out of the wilderness, He faced rejection in His own hometown! It was that time in the wilderness that helped Jesus get His heart and mind aligned with GOD’s so He could follow through faithfully with His holy task.

The season of Lent calls us into a similar time of preparation. For Christians today, we are called primarily to prepare by praying, fasting, and giving. Prayer might seem self explanatory, but I think that the prayer Jesus used in the desert is different from the way many of us pray today. We often run to GOD with a wish list of things we would like for Him to do for us, and then we’re quickly on our way. For Jesus, however, prayer was something that was far more about the position and condition of His heart. Jesus spent weeks upon weeks praying for guidance, listening for answers, and just finding His heart centered in GOD. During this year’s Lent, I would like to encourage you to try something a little different in your prayer life – as opposed to just taking a wish list to GOD, spend some time sharing with Him the things going on in your heart, but provide time to listen for the voice of GOD. This can be a challenge, because we don’t do too well sitting still and listening with so many welcomed distractions (smart phones, anyone?). So spend this Lent trying something new in your prayer life.

Another aspect of Lenten discipline is fasting. Fasting sounds awful daunting to many, – and it can be – but there are different degrees of fasting you can practice. Instead of doing like Jesus did and fasting from food and water for six-weeks, maybe you could try a practice of abstaining from certain vices or treats like sodas, sweets, alcohol, tobacco, or fast food. The idea is to give up something you would miss, and when you miss it, spend time in prayer with GOD. One other comment about fasting, and that is if you are fasting from something that costs you money, the money saved from these “vices” should be given to the poor.

Speaking of giving to the poor, this is the third primary practice of Lent. GOD is generous and asks us to be generous. GOD knows that we tend to use money as a means of power and/or discrimination. We are called to use our blessings to bring blessings to others, but the reality is we often hold on to them as opposed to being willing to give them solely for the benefit of another. This Lent, as you restructure your prayer life, and focus on giving up something that you will miss, you will likely find that your priorities change and your heart is being softened for others in need. Then give from your blessings to help someone else in need. And to help you with this in the church, we will be collecting money for another Stop Hunger Now packaging event on April 20th. We will have containers available this weekend to help you focus on giving as you fast and pray.

I hope that you will join us at 7 pm this evening for our annual Ash Wednesday service. As I said earlier, we will commemorate the day with the imposition of ashes as well as the celebration of Holy Communion. It promises to be a powerfully significant evening, and we hope you will join us as we begin our journey to the cross and the empty tomb!