Learning to embrace 

the uncomfortable

The feeling of being uncomfortable is awkward. It is unsettling. It is the unknown of what is to come. 2020 has been uncomfortable, to say the least. With the bushfires and COVID-19, our calendars were thrown out the window as we adapted into this current season of unknowns and life is still constantly changing as we know it. 

For some, it has been a good season of quality family time and rest. For others, it has been a struggle of keeping up with work changes, life changes, online learning, and the emotional and mental well-being of family members. Whatever emotions you’ve experienced, know that they are valid. It’s been a big year and sometimes more than we can emotionally handle. I like to call it a ‘Corona-coaster’. 

But in this current season, how do we embrace these uncomfortable moments?

Think about when learning a new skill like riding a bike. It starts off being uncomfortable. We may fall a few times and we want to give up when it gets too hard. But when we persist and take the time in those challenging moments they slowly become comfortable and we grow a new strength that we never thought we’d experience.  I’m not saying that our current season is like learning how to ride a bike (it’s definitely a bigger challenge than that) but through every uncomfortable season, God uses it as an opportunity to persevere and guide us. 

God wants us to be happy, satisfied and comfortable. This is partially true, but the bible does talk about how important discomfort is to God. He called Abraham to leave his home and wander into a foreign land, Jonah found discomfort inside a whale, Job suffered and lost everything, and God called his own son Jesus to the ultimate discomfort so that we could escape eternal discomfort. But through every uncomfortable season they faced, it positioned them to God’s faithfulness and purpose.

If life was comfortable all the time, then what would be our purpose? What would we gain? It’s in those uncomfortable seasons, that God refines us, making us dependent on Him and allowing us to be available to learn. We may have limitations on the outside but there are no limitations internally that God uses to grow and strengthen us. We can still experience joy even in the midst of discomfort.

Although our plans may be different, I hope you can still experience joy. That you can still trust and hope that greater things are to come even when we don’t feel it. Remember that discomfort is only temporary and God can still use this season within you; to grow you, to give you purpose, to show you his peace. Our world may have limitations right now but God’s limitations for us internally are limitless. May we have the ‘courage to grow’ in what we think, do, and love towards others and embrace the uncomfortable moments as we take comfort in knowing that God doesn’t waste anything. Even our discomfort.