“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 

Has God ever called you to do something out of your comfort zone? I mean, so far out there, that it’s impossible and scares you to even attempt it?

This certainly describes my life for the past year! God brought a lot of new opportunities into my life that have stretched me way beyond my abilities. New opportunities can be scary! I mean, what if you failed? It could be embarrassing and make you wish that you hadn’t tried, but had just let someone else do it. These opportunities made me dig deeper into God’s Word to see what I really believe about who He is and what He’s created me for.

We are created in Christ Jesus for good works.

When I consider the magnitude and application of this, it humbles me. Why? Because I know that apart from Christ I am nothing. I was dead in my sins (Eph2:1). God didn’t look at me and say “Look at her amazing abilities and spiritual insight!” NO! I am not worthy of Christ’s incredible love and there is nothing good in my flesh!

But God has shown me that He delights in using weak people for His glory. The Bible is full of people who didn’t have it all together, but God chose them so that HIS POWER could be evident and so that He would get the glory! So God has chosen me and you, and placed us in situations that force us to rely on Him.

God has prepared ahead of time good works for us to do.

Over and over I read in Scripture of men and women who told God that they weren’t qualified. But God had this answer for them: I am with you! Now, we all know God is with us, but what does that mean? How do we apply that to our everyday situations? First of all, who is God? He is Wisdom. He is All-Powerful. He is the Comforter. Do I need anything else? NO! Just as God revealed Himself to Moses as “I AM”, so Christ is all we need. As Dr. Jerry Benjamin says, He doesn’t just give us wisdom; He IS wisdom! And so when we have Christ, He is everything we truly need!

As I have humbled myself before God and yielded myself to be used by Him, God has been faithful! He’s accomplished things through me that I’ve never thought possible. There have been a few awkward and anxious moments, but that usually means I’ve taken control, instead of crying out to God for grace and trusting in Him to accomplish His best in and through me.

Someone has said that instead of calling it the “comfort zone”, we should call it the “missed opportunity zone”. I would certainly agree! After I said “yes” to a discipleship opportunity, I suddenly noticed all the other discipleship opportunities all around me that I had been missing!

As you consider this year before you, ask God to do something impossible through you. Expect situations to come up that seem hopeless, and then impossible, but never stop trusting in God and obeying Him. Maybe it will be taking a foreign mission’s trip, witnessing to a relative or acquaintance, or ___________. Let God fill in the blank!

Watch Christ exchange your awkwardness for His wisdom; and your inadequacy for His sufficiency. Trade your lies of “I’m not good enough” for His righteousness, and instead of wondering “why am I here?” you’ll begin to see His providential, guiding hand.

~Katie Mellas

For further reading: Moses, Exodus 3-5; Joshua 1; Gideon, Judges 6-7; Jeremiah 1