Abby McDonald

Finding the Hope of Christ in a Messy Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Coaching & Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact

What God Cares About More Than Our Safety and Comfort

October 6, 2022 by Abby McDonald

A couple of weeks ago, I read that when infants are born, they have an innate need to store memories where they feel safe and loved. Their first experience on this earth is one of trauma because they’re removed from the warm, dark place they knew for nine months. After being placed in a bright, cold and unfamiliar environment, they need to know they are still secure. As they build these safe and loved memories, they gradually can recall them during moments when they’re not being held, rocked or coddled.

When I read about this process, I thought about our faith walk and how it follows the same pattern. We first receive the gospel message as “infants,” the apostle Paul says. We live on milk, and often aren’t ready to receive the meatier, heavier aspects of the Word yet. The Spirit knows this, which is why the process of sanctification is not instantaneous. It takes an entire lifetime as we grow and become more like Jesus.

But eventually, God wants us to leave what’s safe and comfortable. He wants us to experience the full adventure of life he has for us, and we can’t do this if we remain stuck in the same place. The book of Acts is filled when men and women who took risks for the sake of spreading God’s love, and many came to know him as a result of their bravery and their refusal to be silenced because of the fear of the Roman empire.

Their stories may seem otherworldly, but the same God who led them continues to lead his people today. However, stepping outside of what feels safe and comfortable may seem difficult or even impossible. After all, what could be more important than our safety and comfort?

There are many things more important, but we’re going to examine three of them. Here are three things God cares about more than our safety and comfort:

1. Running Our Unique Race

In 1st Corinthians, Paul equates our spiritual walk with a race. In other words, it is not stationary.

“Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run is such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will no last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 NIV

The same Spirit that lived in the first believers lives in us, and he wants us to move with him. As we do, we become living testimonies of God’s love and grace in our stories. We leave a trail for others to follow, and they are inspired to take a step of faith, to leave their past behind, and trust God to guide them.

If we refuse to run because we value our own safety over Christ’s call on our lives, we send a message to others as well. We tell them comfort is more important than sharing the love of the gospel. We tell them the life of the follower is stagnant instead of mobile and alive.

2. Growing to Know God More and More Deeply

Just as our spiritual walk moves forward, our relationship with God does also, if we nurture it. The more time we spend with him, the deeper we can know him and sense his leading in our lives. But sometimes, we misconceive knowing God with living a life where we do not experience trouble, pain, or inconvenience. We may even equate suffering with a sign that God has left us altogether, or doesn’t hear our prayers. This way of thinking can cause years of grief and heartache for a believer, and cause us to turn our backs on God.

However, scripture doesn’t tell us the live of the Christ-follower will be pain-free. As a matter of fact, Jesus guarantees trouble will come in the gospel of John. (John 16:33) But after stating this, he reminds us where our peace and our hope come from: him alone. Hardship may come, but he will be there with us and walk with us through it. Not only that, but he has already overcome our enemy and every difficulty we face in this life, and one day he will redeem what was lost here on earth.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

Instead of only turning to him only for safety and comfort, God longs for us to invite him into every aspect of our lives so that we may know him more deeply. And the more we know him, the more the worries of this world fade. Not because the circumstances change, but because our perspective shifts from short-term fixes to the long-term hope Jesus offers us.

3. Sharing Who God Is With Others

Several years ago, my husband shared a conversation with a young man who didn’t grow up in a Christian home. My husband was talking to him about a prayer God answered, and after listening to the story, the man said, “You can talk to God like that?” He was in complete disbelief over what he’d just heard. He didn’t realize that once we are in Christ, we can approach God as a confidant and a friend, and God cares for our individual needs. But if my husband hadn’t taken a risk, this conversation never would’ve happened. He risked being laughed at, ridiculed, and rejected, but these possibilities weren’t as important to him as sharing the truth of who God was.

There are many people who, like this young man, don’t know what it means to have a personal relationship with the One who gave his life for us. They are searching for answers, and they may never step foot in a church. We might be the only way they see who Jesus is, and what they see matters.

“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV

But if we’re going to share with them, we have to put our doubts and worries aside. We have to remember the life Jesus offers is far more valuable than any temporary misunderstanding we might face.

When Jesus walked the earth with the first disciples, he told them they would accomplish even greater things than he did during his ministry. (John 14:12) That’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? As we read about all the miracles and healings, Jesus’ promise might seem like something out of a fairy tale or science fiction novel. But it wasn’t, and he meant it. If we continue reading about the things that happened after he ascended into heaven, we see this promise unfolding before his followers’ eyes.

To take hold this life Jesus told us about, we have to leave the infancy of our faith.

We have to take him at his word, and step into the unknown. We can start following the same pattern as those babies who’ve just left the womb. By recalling all those moments when Jesus comforted us and was faithful during our time of need. By remembering his provision and the ways he showed up during moments we doubted.

After collecting those memories, we will have renewed confidence for the journey. We can leave the comfort of our stuck places. And when we do, he will be there to meet us and show us the what’s next. He will not leave us fumbling around in the dark.

Let’s shift our focus from where we’ve been to where he’s taking us.

An Invitation:

If we want to see God in the midst of our struggles, we have to change the way we look for him. My book, Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God, is filled with practical tools and insights to help you do so. 

Here’s what one reader said after reading it:

“I really appreciated Abby’s transparent, insightful story-telling abilities as she reveals and weaves together; God’s genuine love for us, His relentless pursuit of a relationship with us, and how He never leaves us. She shows us the power of a shift in perspective. We learn about the importance of seeing ourselves through God’s lens and speaking His truth into our lives… rather than through the lens of the world and the lies the world wants us to believe. I encourage you to read Shift. This is a great book to read for a book club or discussion starter while gathered around the table drinking coffee together.” -Susan

You can pick up a copy of Shift by clicking the image below.

*This post contains affiliate links. You can read my affiliate link disclosure here.

Share if you care!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Print

Filed Under: spiritual growth Tagged With: #spiritualgrowth

Let’s Stay Connected

Subscribe to receive encouragement and my latest posts via email.

Privacy Policy

Hi! I'm Abby and I'm so glad you're here. I am a wife and a mom of two very energetic boys and one sweet baby girl. When I'm not chasing them around I love to write about my love for a God who relentlessly pursued me, even during my darkest times. READ MORE...

Let’s Stay Connected

Subscribe to receive encouragement and my latest posts via email.

Privacy Policy

Stay Connected

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Popular Posts

How God Responds When His Own Want to Die
The Truth About Belonging that Opened My Calloused Heart
4 Truths to Hold Onto When You Think You've Let God Down
The Day I Realized Why I Wasn't Hearing God Speak

You Can Find Me Here

Take the Challenge

Categories

Recent Facebook Posts

Recent Facebook Posts

Recent Pins

Latest Instagram Feed

I can’t explain it, and that’s part of the bea I can’t explain it, and that’s part of the beauty of it. But often, it isn’t until I take the intentional time to get still before God that I see all the ways he’s already moving in a situation. While the circumstances may not change, his peace covers me. It’s an exchange so beautiful, it’s difficult to put into words. I guess that’s why the Holy Spirit often intercedes for us with groans instead of perfectly crafted sentences. And yet, it’s still every bit perfection.

#prayerworks #keeppraying #hisgrace
As of today, I only have one left in elementary sc As of today, I only have one left in elementary school. I’m still not sure how I feel about it, and that’s okay.

To all the moms out there who feel the conflicting emotions of pride, sadness, and everything in between: I see you. You don’t have to choose one or the other. 

In this mothering journey, the commitment that counts is being here for it. 

#solongelementaryschool #summerishere #mothersofboys
We braved the rain today, and I’m so glad we did We braved the rain today, and I’m so glad we did. After a few showers, the sun came out and we made some beautiful memories together.

#almostheaven #blackwaterfallsstatepark #memorialday
As much as I love summer, it can bring a lot of co As much as I love summer, it can bring a lot of conflicting feelings for this work at home mom. But I know like every season, this one is a gift. 

For all of you moms who are entering summer with this tension, I wrote a prayer for you. As you navigate new rhythms, give yourself grace. I’m sending your favorite caffeinated drink your way. 😘

#workingmom #workathomemom #summerrhythm #keepgoing
I don’t consider myself a painter by any stretch I don’t consider myself a painter by any stretch of the imagination. When I took an Intro to Art College, each assignment faced my teacher’s intense scrutiny. 

“Too many lines,” he said.
“Too busy,” he commented.

But over time and practice, I grew, and he saw that. 

I’ve always been drawn to the creative process of painting. So when a church friend offered a Prayer & Paint class, I signed up. I knew it would be different than any class I’d taken, but I was intrigued.

Then came the first paint session.

No paintbrushes, the teacher said. Only fingers. My inner control freak screamed, “Wait, what?” But since there were no brushes available, I went to work. The freedom I found in the lack of control amazed me.

The following week, we again had no brushes. Only sponges, fingers and a scraper type tool. Again, laid down my need to prove myself and tried to lay my inner critic to rest. 

By the third week, I didn’t expect anything but paint and a canvas, but we found a surprise: paintbrushes! Much to my amazement, I was back to using my fingers by the end of the session. 

Then came the last class. A collaborative effort with no instruction. Any comfort zone I imagined having was thrown out the window. The end result: my favorite piece. 

Each class, I realized something:
When we try to control each step of the creative process, we miss opportunities for God to lead.

Whether it’s painting, or writing, or some other pursuit, freedom is found when we realize the end result is not about us. It’s about pointing others toward the ultimate Creator.

As we refine our work and let others speak into it, He refines us. He speaks in each stroke. But first, we have to release our grip.

#creativeprocess #creativespace #trysomethingnew #stilllearning
This is the face of a girl who finished her book p This is the face of a girl who finished her book proposal and sent it to her agent. After months of distractions, I pushed past the excuses, sat my butt in the chair (for days upon days) and did it.

I know there will still be work ahead. I don’t know what the future holds. 

But I’m celebrating this moment. 🙌🏼🎉

#authorsofinstagram #bookinprogress #writingcoach
We’ve lived in this area for almost twelve years We’ve lived in this area for almost twelve years, and somehow we’ve never ventured to this park. I’m so glad we did today. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you beautiful moms, and to all the women who mother and nurture. You are loved.

#mothersday #mothersday23 #happymothersday
Several months ago, I felt like I was chasing brea Several months ago, I felt like I was chasing breadcrumbs. I faced an uncertain health diagnosis, and thought God was giving me hints of what was to come. But through the course of several events that could only be orchestrated by God, I realized something; I had it all wrong. 

When God speaks, his voice is steady and consistent, not confusing and fear-inducing.

Although Jesus spoke to the Jews in parables they didn’t understand, this was because he already knew their hearts. He knew they didn’t believe, and they had already chosen their path. But when he speaks to us as children, it isn’t in parables. It’s in a loving voice that says, “Don’t be afraid. No matter what the future holds, I’m with you.”

If you feel like you’re chasing breadcrumbs today, trying to hear the voice of God, know this: He still speaks. Sit down, quiet your mind, and put your phone on “do not disturb.” Open your Bible and see what happens. He wants to communicate with each of us. Sometimes we just have to slow down our racing hearts enough to listen.

#hisword #hisgrace #hopewriters
It’s easy for me to put Elijah on an untouchable It’s easy for me to put Elijah on an untouchable plain when it comes to heroes of the faith. I mean, the man brought down fire from heaven. But then I read verses like this one, and it reminds me of the truth. He was a man. God used him to bring the fire, yes. But then he ran. He was afraid and flawed, just like you and me.

His power rested not in any earthly qualification, but in his closeness to One who gave it.

The One who continues the to give to us. Through prayer.

When Elijah prayed, it didn’t rain a drop for three years. And then he prayed again, and the heavens opened.

Today on this day of prayer, may we remember the Spirit gives us this same power. Jesus said, “Greater things than these…” (John 14:12) Let’s seek Him and not become blind to the greatest gift we have. 

#nationaldayofprayer #prayerlife #prayerchangesthings
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 Abby McDonald | Design by The Design Diva | Development by MRM | Privacy Policy

The 5 Days to Life Unstuck Challenge

Are there areas of your life where you can’t seem to find breakthrough? Do you feel as though your keep praying the same prayers over and over, but you’re not getting anywhere?

A life stuck is one that never moves into the fullness Christ created us to have.

This is why I created the “5 Days to Life Unstuck Challenge”. In this 5-day challenge, we will look at five key areas where the enemy likes for us to stay stuck. Then, we will implement a simple, doable mindset shift.

Ready to get get unstuck?

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!