Call it the C-Zone, or if you like, the Comfort Zone. The Comfort Zone is literally a place. Imagine it as an actual geographical area where people exist in their minds. It is an easy and convenient place to be. It gives you a sense of security, safety and calmness. It accepts people of different identities, cultures, religions, and family backgrounds.

As comfortable as the Comfort Zone may appear to be for humans, monsters love to live there too. The fear monster, deception monster, low self-esteem monster, disobedience monster, self-sufficiency monster, lack of direction monster, and the depression monster, amongst others.

Because of the co-existence between humans and these monsters in the Comfort Zone, you find that those who live there are usually afraid of the unknown, they lack the courage to push themselves to do something new, they hate to embrace challenges, they would rather not try than fail or feel embarrassed, they care so much about what people think about them, they are happy to cope with the “not so good”, because for them, reaching for bigger things
can be too tough. Sometimes, they are deceived to think they have it all together, or that they are being logical, true to themselves, or being content.

This place called the Comfort Zone is one of the biggest limitations for many Christians today. God desires that amongst other things, we conquer new grounds, bear much fruits, multiply, have dominion, subdue the earth, and live our lives as witnesses of Jesus to the uttermost parts of the world. As our very source, God is interested in our daily lives, and wants us to take steps and leaps according to the dictates of His Spirit. How are we able to do these things if we choose to reason everything out just because we love the Comfort Zone? How can we say we trust in the Lord without stepping out of our Comfort Zones to do what He requires of us?

Mountains are known to signify obstacles, difficulties, and challenges; they have also been known to bring about breakthroughs when surmounted. Comfort Zone dwellers do not like to climb on mountains.

In Haggai 1:8a, God sent a message to Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the remnant of God’s people who were living in their Comfort Zones and doing things that were unprofitable, saying “Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build my house”. When these people eventually decided to step out of their Comfort Zones and began to obey God’s word, God in turn sparked an enthusiasm in them and granted them the grace to do what He required of them (Haggai 1:12-14).

Believers today may react to God’s word in Haggai 1:8a in several ways. Some may choose to fear the height of the mountain, or think through the scary stories they have heard about the mountain. Some may claim to be too busy, and conclude that it doesn’t make sense for them to “go up to the mountain”. Some may, however, choose to take God at His word, step out of their Comfort Zones, and climb that mountain. The mountain may mean many things including doing something, going somewhere, heeding the call of God, learning a trade, taking a course, expressing a talent, or entering into the place of deep communion with God.

When you step out of your Comfort Zone, you enter into your Faith Zone. In the Faith Zone, obedience, joy, absolute trust and dependence on God’s grace dwell together with you. In the Faith Zone, we do not function by power or strength but by the Spirit of the Lord. In the Faith Zone, God backs up His word with His zeal to ensure that it is fulfilled. In Zechariah 4:7, God sent His word to Zerubbabel saying “Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him and when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the temple in place, the people will shout grace, grace, unto it”.

You must always remember that choosing to stay in your Comfort Zones when God requires you to step out, simply means saying “No” to God; and saying “No” to partnering with Him for His work on the earth.

Moving from your Comfort Zone to your Faith Zone requires a desire to change location on your part. Note that it is normal for you to feel scared sometimes, but never entertain it. Avoid nay Sayers at all cost, move far away from them. Search the scriptures and re-affirm your self with God’s word. Use positive self-talk to change your orientation. Don’t take yourself too seriously, when you make mistakes or fail at something, learn the lessons and move on. Recognize the frailty of your own strength, and let your dependence be on God.

Draw strength from the past successes God gave you, and from what God is doing through other people. Embrace every challenge that God sends your way, and you will always be better for it.

Ifedayo Adeoba