Not in my Comfort Zone

     Some times God will ask us to do things outside our comfort zone, and it is a really scary thing when He does. I can only speak for myself but, when I feel the spirit leading me to do something there is always fear that pops up too. That fear, I have come to realize, is the devil trying to convince you not to follow, not to obey because he doesn't want to see you unlock the blessing or power that is in obedience.
      Every time I have been pushed by the Holy Spirit to do something the doubt and fear come too, but I know that when I put aside those fears, those doubts, that spring forward when I receive instruction, that God will do something amazing. I have seen it over and over again in my life, so I am learning to be obedient regardless of fear.
     I can think of many times and examples of instances where I obeyed and was blessed, and where I didn't obey and caused myself unnecessary suffering . I want to make this last statement perfectly clear to anyone reading this, I did not suffer as punishment from God, and it wasn't because God didn't answer my prayer, it was because I was too afraid to obey and made a bad choice as a result. I let doubts, and fears blind me to the fact that my act of obedience would have been the answer to the prayers.
      An example of this in particular is, a long time ago I prayed to be free from depression and anxiety. I prayed all the time for this. But whenever I would feel the spirit telling me to take it to the alter, kneel before Him and pray, or ask this person or that person, or stand before the congregation and ask for prayer, I would chicken out because I was afraid to let people know I was hurting and I was afraid to speak up in front of everyone, so I continued to suffer silently. I suffered from this until I finally broke, until I couldn't take living with depression anymore, so at the beginning of this year I decided I was going to break the cycle of depression and its hold on me, and I went up to a complete stranger at church that I felt like the Lord directed me to, and asked her for prayer.
     I cried to this person and told her what was going on, and how long I had been battling depression, it's been 14 years of battles. She prayed for me, and with me, and put me on the prayer list for the Women's group. Since that time I have only had a few difficult days, and I am finding it easier now to do the things that help me cope and feel better on those difficult days. I wonder how much sooner I could have been better if I had been obedient in the first place?
      This was a tough lesson for me to learn, but I am trying to do better with it now. Sunday at church the Spirit called me out of my comfort zone again. I was told to voice my concern for those struggling with addictions, especially two people in my own life who are battling an addiction to heroin. I was afraid, when it was time to give our joys and concerns to the congregation my fear had turned to panic. But I did it anyway. And as it turned out there was a drug counselor at church that day who wanted to help, and a Gideon, and my Pastor, and so many people just offering prayers. Then the next day my friend called and asked to come to Church with me and my husband.
     My point, sometimes unanswered prayers, really weren't unanswered, we are just too afraid to take that next step. We let fear or doubts keep us from stepping out of our comfort zone and doing that act of obedience that would activate the miracle.

2 Chronicles 31:21
In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.