Have you ever had one of those days when you just wore sweatpants? It’s kind of chilly outside; maybe it’s raining. You wake up and go straight for the hot beverage instead of the shower. Minutes in those sweatpants quickly form into hours and all of a sudden, it’s 4:30 p.m. and you feel like a complete waste of space.
Sweatpants automatically create an interesting dilemma in my line of thinking. On the one hand, I love the kind of comfort they provide me in the cold winter months when I choose not to brave society and stay in my home. There’s no way that I’ll be putting on jeans if I know I won’t be exiting my abode any time soon.
It’s also true, however, that if my entire day has been spent wearing said sweatpants, I am ultimately struck with an overwhelming sense of self-loathing that can only be cured by a hot shower and a quick drive around town with denim on my legs, if only to run a few errands. Even if I’m not really doing anything, putting on socially acceptable clothing and leaving my place makes me feel like I’ve actually done something with my life in that 24-hour period.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I appreciate comfort, but when it comes in self-prescribed high doses, it feels wrong and I get antsy. As I’ve walked through life up until now, I’ve discovered that the sinful default setting in my heart is to constantly desire a life of ease—and I’d be willing to bet that my desire for comfort is shared by many of you as well. In my heart of hearts, however, I know that seeking continual comfort is a lazy approach to life—not a healthy existence at all (maybe you know this too).
When we are ushered into God’s family, we are given a purpose that is beyond us. This purpose involves us being proactive about communicating our faith to others who need to hear about it. Sure, it’s scary. Sure, it’s risky. And every single time, it involves us killing the default comfort setting that seems to be so prevalent and powerful inside of our hearts.
I have never been 100% comfortable when I share my faith. Never. Maybe some other people have, but not me. I will tell you this, though: I never feel more alive than when I do. When I communicate my faith, I’m excited, scared, happy, nervous, warm, and intimidated all at once. My mouth is usually dry, my armpits are usually wet, and my heart beats faster than when I’m on the elliptical for 45 minutes at level 6. For me, it’s never easy to do, but regardless of how the conversation turns out, I always seem to walk away with a renewed sense of purpose and energy. On more than one occasion after I’ve shared my faith, I have walked away and said out loud, “Man, I feel so alive right now.”
As a follower of Jesus Christ, not all of your life is meant to be lived in the comfort of remaining silent about your faith, just as not all of your life is meant to be lived only wearing sweatpants. Maybe it’s time you stepped out of the world of your own comfort and slipped on a pair of jeans. Leave the sweatpants behind for a while—and see where Jesus takes you.
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