Drama (Part 2)

Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Dealing with drama all the time leads us into seeking shelter in the wrong places. The most common and destructive addiction in the world is the draw of comfort.  Why pursue growth when you already have 400 television channels, Hulu, and a recliner?  Just pass the dip, eat the chips, and let life pass you by. However that’s not living, just existing.

Life is about learning and growing through excitement and discomfort.  It’s about asking questions and seeking answers.  Life is filled with questions, many of which don’t have an obvious or immediate answer.  It’s your willingness to ask these questions, and your courage to march boldly into the unknown in search of the answers on a daily basis, that gives your life it’s meaning.

In the end, you can spend your life feeling sorry for yourself, wondering why there are so many problems out in the real world, or you can be thankful that you are strong enough to endure them.  It just depends on your mindset.  The obvious first step, though, is convincing yourself to get up and do the uncomfortable things that need to be done.

Think about these things:

-How many times in 2017 the has the mental draw of comfort plagued your best intentions?

-How many workouts have you missed because your mind, not your body, told you that you were too tired?

-How many opportunities have you skipped because your mind, not your body, said, “I am not qualified ?

In 2017 alone the answer to all three questions is probably dozens for most people, including myself.  And these questions can be easily reworked and applied to various areas of our lives too.  The bottom line is that the draw of comfort, combined with lack of action, absolutely devastates our potential.  When we avoid discomfort, nothing worthwhile gets done.  And the only way to fix this predicament is to push beyond our comfort zone.

Your mind needs to be exercised to gain strength.  It needs to be worked on a daily basis to grow.  If you haven’t pushed yourself in lots of small ways over time or if you always avoid doing the uncomfortable things you’ll almost certainly crumble on the inevitable days that are harder than you expected.  

So:

-Choose to workout when it would be more comfortable to sleep in. 

-Choose to do the tenth rep when it would be more comfortable to quit at nine. 

Choose to create something special when it would be more comfortable to consume something mediocre. 

-Choose to ask that extra question when it would be more comfortable to stay silent. 

-Choose to stand your ground when it would be more comfortable to fit in. 

Keep proving to yourself in lots of little ways, every day, that you have the intestinal fortitude to get up, get in the battle, and fight for the life you are capable of living. Jesus made you more than a conqueror so begin to live like one.