The virtues of discomfort and how the world gets changed: a manifesto

If you want to change the world, you will never do it sitting down. Not there in that chair, all comfy and cozy. No, you don't care enough from that position. 

You will never be radical if you can’t embrace discomfort. 

You will be a safe, squishy slug no one is afraid of. You must hand over your World Changer title.

Comfort is you in control. 
It’s a place where you know what is best for you. 
Where you and I can be the gods of our own personal universes. 
See why it's so hard to give it up?

But being uncomfortable doesn’t mean you are unsafe, unprotected.

It usually means you are in search of truth, 
and the discomfort is the indicator you are closer. 

Discomfort is the ache we get when we grow, your guaranteed, without-a-doubt knowledge you are changing, evolving, becoming.

Your desire for comfort and feeling good could be the death of you. 
At least it wants to be the death of you. 

In fact, I would say discomfort is a good thing, and we can embrace it because we will always be safe. Really safe.

Safety is the place we live every day in the eyes and palm of a Father who loves us. 

[photo cred: www.armsaroundba.org]

Safety does not mean nothing bad ever happens. 

It does not mean our feelings never get hurt. 
Being safe does not mean we always get our way. 

But it means we are never alone. 

We can be in pain and uncomfortable and feel like we've never been here before 
and we never want to come back. 
But we can survive because we are with Someone.

We are not alone. 

Not alone is what makes danger okay. It's what makes discomfort bearable. 

And this is the truth of our existence. We just aren't ever alone. 
Father God put Jesus through the alone so we don't have to feel it ever again.

We no longer need to create our own safety; we are already there. 

So if you embrace discomfort, vulnerability and the pain of your own human existence, you will discover real truth, the gems and mysteries and hidden things of God and his creation.

And if you decide to give up your recliner and your right to the bubble wrap, 

you just might change the world.

“Happy am I to love a hungry life, 

and blessed am I to thirst. 

Disillusionment is a gift within; 

I am blessed among men.”

{Lyrics by Lovesick, by Misty Edwards}