The Power of Being Uncomfortable
By Enoch Mun, YHWH Marketing Associate
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2–4)
Is it not normal — expected even — for us humans to gravitate towards comfort? Why would one choose to encounter tribulations and feel emotions such as stress or pain instead of peace? I ask you, is the desire to be comfortable what makes you at times feel pressured to do things you would not normally do? Have you ever desired to fit in with your peers and done things that made you uneasy? Have you ever seen someone in need of help such as the homeless, and despite knowing it is your call as a follower of Christ to reach out to those in need, turned a blind eye because you felt uncomfortable? Or perhaps you have prioritized being comfortable (i.e. more sleep) by creating excuses to not attend Sunday service, morning prayer, and/or outreach events.
Past
Before writing this article, while reflecting, I realized how overriding the desire to be comfortable has been — and still is — in my life. Awkward and embarrassing situations are, personally, the banes of my existence and hence I am guilty of countless situations similar to the ones listed above. In my mind, I also equate my future success to financial security, and consequently, have and continue to skip out on church activities with the excuse of “studying”.
I definitely wrongly prioritize things that I find pleasure in such as working out and playing sports, leaving little room for other priorities such as daily devotions. This has somewhat been the summary of my life so far: constantly staying in my comfort zone and having extreme prejudice against things that make me step out of said comfort zone.
Present
When I came to college and joined a campus fellowship, things began to change. In all ways, I can truly attest to how the upperclassmen at my fellowship sacrificed and poured out to me. By the beginning of the second semester, I felt called to do the same. Because of my unhealthy fondness for sleeping and laziness in general, I made a goal to at least prioritize God once a week by attending morning prayer. Because of my aforementioned dislike for awkward scenarios, I joined my fellowship’s outreach team. Furthermore, because I had no interest in clothing and nonexistent artistic skills, I joined YHWH Apparel hoping that I could learn some skills.
For maybe the first time in my life, throughout this Spring 2023 semester, I can take pride in the ways that I actively stepped out of my comfort zone despite the fact of how uncomfortable and overwhelmed I felt at first and still feel to this day. Nevertheless, I truly believe being uncomfortable in these situations has fostered incredible spiritual growth.
Personal Takeaways
When serving, the common notion is that only the population being served benefits. I frankly disagree; I wholeheartedly believe that the one who serves benefits just as much as those being served, if not even more. In my case, I have gained new skills, new experiences, and seen new horizons which have helped me become more resilient, adaptable, and open-minded.
I also experienced how small I actually was compared to the grandness of God. Although I may try to deceive myself saying that I am in control of my life, I truly found out how God is sovereign over all and how things that may seem negative to us are just a means for God to work in and through us. We humans are so narrow minded and cannot see the full splendor and vision of God and his plan which makes us make decisions that seem convenient in the moment, but are instead detrimental to us.
“As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (Proverbs 26:11)
And so I learned — even if just a little — of the necessity to fully and willingly surrender all to God, instead of fighting him for control.
Reflection
Obviously, it is not easy to first step out of your comfort zone. Nonetheless, I sincerely believe that the hardest step to take when deciding to run a mile is the first step. This is the part where it is easy to turn back. However, after the first step, you will find that the next step may still be difficult, but not as terrible as the first; then the next step will come, then the next, until you find yourself running. Perhaps this is why when I was asked to become the campaign manager for now Christian Senator Christine Song who was running for the position at that time. I felt excited at the prospect of doing something I had no experience in doing — in expectant fervor of the unique experiences I could acquire and lessons I could learn.
From the bottom of my heart, I ask you to embrace the uncomfortable, whether that be reaching out to those in need of help financially or spiritually, for nobody but God knows how this small action may create change in your life and in the lives of others.
“…The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:35–38)
Praise God for all his blessings and trials, for He is a God who truly desires what is best for us.
