God is My Comfort Zone

Posted by: Leah Gartner, Director of Marketing and Events | Monday, May 19th, 2025 (12:00am)

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in him, who relies on him. They will be like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots by the stream. It will be unfazed by the heat and not worry when the leaves are gone. It will not be thirsty and will thrive.—Jeremiah 17:7-8

There are times in life when everything is going so smoothly it almost feels like I am operating on autopilot. I have the routine down at my job, I know what works, and “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” I fall into routines at home too. Get home, make dinner, clean up, watch a show, take the dog for a walk, go to sleep. No drama, no problems, what could be wrong with that? I can almost hear myself saying, “Don’t worry God, I got this.”

Often it is in those times that my soul starts to long for change, to step out in faith and follow the nudge of God calling my heart to something different. But it can be easy to become reliant on my routines for peace instead of relying on the Lord; to cling to the white noise of my life for comfort because if I get too close to Him, God might ask me to do something that is too hard, or too much for me to handle on my own.

But really, isn’t that the point? Isn’t it all too hard and too much for me to handle on my own? Isn’t that why we need God in the first place?

Lately in my life I have felt completely out of control. In some areas there has been so much change I could not possibly rely on routine, because it has officially left the building. My mind is constantly working to get myself back on track, to make sense of it all. But God keeps reminding me to rely on Him, to stay rooted in Him. That He has a purpose and a plan and they are higher and better than mine could ever be. That He is my only true peace.

However, in other areas of my life the lack of control is something altogether different because I feel stuck in a place that might never change. The discomfort lies in the waiting, but the remedy is the same: to put my trust in Him and His timing. Of course, humans are notoriously impatient creatures, and I am no exception. But If I stay rooted in Him, I can have life even in a time that seems stale and dry.

My daughter was recently the lead role in her school play. She loves theater and was so excited for the opportunity. Practices were fun at first with script in hand, learning where to stand on stage, working out the parts for the songs. But eventually the scripts were taken away. The cast had to rely on their memories and each other to know their parts. The night before the show my daughter was really stressed, feeling the reality that she would be performing in front all of her family and friends without the comfort of the script or empty auditorium. “Why did I do this to myself?! What if I forget something? What if I Iet everyone down?” It’s scary taking a step like that, to step out of the comfort of routine. I could totally relate, but I was so proud of her. I reminded her how fun doing theater was. The rush she would feel after the show from the accomplishment of doing something that was fun but also scary. I told her I believed in her and her ability and that God had given her gifts that she needed to use. Then I gave her a hug and I felt God say, this is exactly how I feel about you.

God loves me so much. He wants me to cast my cares on Him. To say, "God, I want to do this, but I’m scared!” I’m scared of change, of the unknown, but also of things staying the same. So often I am afraid to step out, of making a fool of myself, of saying or doing the wrong thing. I can feel God trying to move me in a new direction, but the false peace of my comfort zone keeps calling me back, because it feels safe and predictable.

What I need to remember is that God is the one who is always safe and predictable, because He never changes. He is our safety and refuge, our firm foundation. He holds us and whispers, “You can do it because I am with you.” So, whether we are in the whirlwind of change or standing still in the waiting, we can rely on Him; He provides the only peace that truly lasts.