Dr. Ray Pritchard Christian Blog and Commentary

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Stepping Out of Our Comfort Zone

  • Dr. Ray Pritchard
    Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, an Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 29 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain,… More
  • Published Feb 12, 2005

Ted Griffin sent along this quote from Three Wise Women, an upcoming book by Christin Ditchfield, to be published by Crossway Books:

 

All too often we miss the opportunity to experience His [God’s] power at work in us because we’re not willing to let Him have control. We won’t surrender our own plans, our own hopes and dreams. Our hearts are set on earthly things. We don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize our family, our career, our reputation, or our future.

Somehow we can’t bring ourselves to step out of our comfort zone. Honestly, we’re afraid of pain and suffering. Unless we have all the answers up front, unless we know how everything will turn out from the start, we’re reluctant to obey. We don’t trust the plans God has for us. We want some sort of guarantee.

But God doesn’t work that way. He requires nothing less than total surrender, unquestioning faith, and pure, wholehearted obedience. It’s true that if we give our lives to Him, He may require us to undergo hardship and heartache. But He will never ask us to suffer more for Him than He has already suffered for us. And He will never give us more than His strength will enable us to bear.

There may be dark days when we feel abandoned and alone. But He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. His grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in our weakness.


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