Comfort Zones

Comfort zones are interesting things.  I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to love them.  They symbolize security.  They provide this little cocoon of safety and familiarity.  When I'm in them I have this protected feeling like nothing can really truly hurt me as long as I stay in their familiar embrace.  Of course the thing I've come to realize is that comfort zones while they definitely have their good points and the times they are necessary, to truly grow you have to step outside of them at some point.  I mean what happens if a catapiller decides hanging out in that cocoon is way better than ever coming out of it.  When it comes out it becomes vulnerable to any number of dangers.  Outside of the cocoon there are birds, spider webs and little kids with science projects to complete!  Inside the comfort zone those threats while still there seem less likely.  It's like in our comfort zone we can close our eyes like a toddler and insist that none of those dangers can see us.  Of course as long as the catapiller stays in it's cocoon it never has the opportunity to see what it's full potential is, what a beautiful butterfly it can become.  If the eagle's offspring insists on hanging out in the nest it will never discover how high it is truly capable of soaring.  So what do we miss when we insist that our comfort zone is far enough?

Don't get me wrong.  As I mentioned before comfort zones can be great things, they can help build some confidence in areas, they can be necessary for emotional and even spiritual healing, but eventually if we are ever to achieve the vision God has of what he wants us to become we will have to step out of the comfort zone.   It doesn't require much faith to stay there since we pretty much think we know how life will go if we do so, the faith comes when you follow the call that leads you out of that familiarity, the call that encourages you to get out of the boat in the middle of a storm and walk on the water.  To me Peter is an awesome example of what you can experience if you are willing to consider stepping out of your comfort zone.  I think we often tend to think of the "where did your faith go" aspect of Peter's walk on the water while the other side to it is Peter walked on the water!  Outside of Jesus who else in the history of mankind has managed that?  Does that mean the dangers and pitfalls cease to exist?  No, but realistically they are there even when we stay in our comfort zones so why not find what the true potential God has for us really is?