We are a blessed people in North America. Most of us have more than we need. We tend to have so much stuff it takes up significant real estate in our homes. Of course this leads me to ask does it take up significant real estate in your heart? However, I digress. Let me get back to the point. Most of us are pretty comfortable in life and we like it that way. It’s important to us. So much so that comfort has crept into the church. I would argue it’s become an idol in the church. And out of comfort, comes the danger of spiritual laziness; not wanting to be moved, stirred, challenged, changed or even tested.

Folks, those who are spiritually comfortable tend to pursue ONLY the things they personally enjoy. Many of them even try to avoid hardship when in fact God may be using it to accomplish His purposes in their lives. Instead, their life becomes more about building a restful place, a peaceful place; a place where it’s easy. However, this life isn’t about our comfort. It isn’t about our pleasures and it sure isn’t about retirement. It’s about God and His kingdom. We need to remember that God has made us for Him. We were chosen by Him, have been redeemed by Him and are commissioned to serve Him. We have bee taken from a place of spiritual death to life. We were once slaves to sin, dead in our trespasses, but have been made alive in Christ. He is our master. Like the Israelites who were freed from Egypt and brought out to the Mountain of God where they would worship Him and serve Him. We too have been freed from oppression and slavery, only ours was to sin. We have a new master now. We belong to Christ! It’s why Paul referred to himself as a bond slave of Christ Jesus. Paul used slave language to help us understand his willingness to give his life for his master…why? Because he loved Him.

The church needs to fight against becoming spiritually comfortable. We ought to “consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good work” (Hebrews 10:24).The instruction requires us to act; to pursue one another, to expend energy. It may even prove to be more challenging than we think. But God calls us together to serve Him; to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 says, “we are His workmanship, created in Christ to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do”. So, to alienate ourselves from one another, to withdraw and lead a secluded life; to check out and refuse to be a part of God’s ministry is not an option for the believer. We can’t fall into the trap of spiritual comfort and laziness. I personally thank my God for those who are being used by Him to stir us up. Let’s not buy into a peace time mentality, or a retirement mentality for that matter.

Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. Folks, the command was not age specific. It was and is for all who claim to follow Jesus. We are to be on the move and not on the spiritual couch. I pray God will light a fire in us that cannot be quenched, a fire that threatens to consume us…and may it be for His glory.

God Bless!