Let’s face it! Most of us older guys like to be in control, to be comfortable, to work within our limits and not to push the boundaries too far. In short, we like to live inside our “comfort zone”! That’s fine – I’ve no problem with that. The easy life has a lot to say for itself. The world is full of enough problems as it is and adding any more pressure seems foolish.
However, as Ashton Kutcher puts it, “as long as you are comfortable, it means you are not growing.” And who says that you cannot grow even in later life?
Up until last weekend the furthest I had ever walked in the last 40 odd years was about 10 miles – and I remember how shattered I was after that! But on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, with great trepidation and not a little anxiety, I set out to complete the Northumberland Coastal Challenge, a 26 mile hike from Budle Bay to Alnmouth following the Coastal Path. What a fantastic experience it was all round: the views, the camaraderie, the encouragement of the support crews, the satisfaction of supporting a good cause. All these were worth pushing out my boundaries a little.
I may be back in my comfort zone now, with my feet up and a glass of John Lee Honey Bourbon in my hand but I also feel so much better about myself and about what I CAN do given the motivation.
But this got me thinking about what “pushing the boundaries” may mean for me in my faith walk? Am I getting too comfortable and missing out on the opportunities that are out there? Scarily, I wonder what Jesus may have asked me to do and I failed to hear because I was too comfortable with my lot?
Suddenly, even as I am writing this, my blood is beginning to race and my spirit is lifting! Hey, Lord, I know you can manage well enough without me but, I am going to get out of this comfy chair and, with your help, start pushing out on some of my faith boundaries!
Whatever it is that is calling you out of YOUR comfort zone, give it a go! You may find that those objectives that once seemed totally crazy suddenly come within the realms of possibility. And it’s OK to be scared. Being scared means you are about to do something really brave!
Image Credit: David Law
