Comfortable Place
It’s not God’s job to make things comfortable. No where does it say Jesus came to make all your dreams come true. Life is not an all-inclusive resort with someone waiting there with a drink adorned with a paper umbrella. Life is messy. It’s dirty. And it can be extremely uncomfortable.
It begins before you are even born with labor pains. Your Mom experienced the tightening of her abdomen. It is extremely uncomfortable. The contractions get stronger and longer with a shorter amount of time in between. There can be sweating, crying and vows to never get into that predicament ever again!
However, it’s a known fact that there are women whom have given birth to more than one child. So it can be concluded either they forget the pain they felt during labor and delivery or the uncomfortable-ness of the entire ordeal is worth the cost. In the end, they receive a precious, priceless gift.
This is only the beginning of the uncomfortable nature of being human. Body temperature, being too hot or too cold is uncomfortable. All sorts of illnesses cause discomfort and there are varying levels and types of discomfort. There is even a chart with emojis to help you describe the level of discomfort because sometimes words cannot describe it.
When you eat too much, there is pain. When you eat too little, there is pain. When you exercise your muscles can become sore, ligaments torn and bones broken. None of which are very comfortable.
There are times when you can’t sleep because you can’t find a comfortable position. Though finding a comfortable position or a person with whom you are comfortable can sometimes feel like the key to happiness. If you could only get a better night’s sleep you wouldn’t be so moody and grouchy and might have a better chance of meeting people with whom you are comfortable. It’s certainly a delicate balance.
Though too often it happens that when you are comfortable, you forget to turn to God. It is in the uncomfortable-ness you realize your need for the gifts God gives. It is also in the uncomfortable-ness you can begin to acknowledge gratitude for the good times, the times when you aren’t uncomfortable. The times when you feel comfortable.
This happens when you are able to accept the uncomfortable-ness of life. When you understand there are going to be rough times and things you will need to struggle through but with the love of God you will find comfort. God provides you with friends and family with whom you have shared stories, experiences and inside jokes. These relationships are what make those uncomfortable times, a bit more bearable.
It is a true gift to feel comfortable in your own skin, to love yourself, love God and know God loves you in return. When you can be completely yourself, you learn to be vulnerable enough to give your whole self to another person. This too is a priceless and precious gift. So, maybe it is God’s job to make us comfortable; we just have to experience some discomfort in order to know it’s true value.
