Comfort Zone

Comfort Zone

“But Joshua had commanded the people, “Do not shout or make any noise or outcry until I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you must shout.” ~Joshua 6:10

    

   

    Each one of us have a comfort zone and rarely do we ever go outside of it. It is easier to stay in the “what you know” then the other. Sometimes the greatest growth is in the times when we have stepped out and tried something new or different then what we are used to doing. I ask each of you who read the blog to expand your prayer life, expand your mind, learn more and those things may involve you to step out of your comfort zone. I believe the quote “ Practice what you Preach”, and so I must do it as well. 

   A “Silent Retreat” has crossed my path and I have decided to sign up for it. Silence and me really do not know each other. I have been wanting to go on a retreat for months now and nothing has jumped out at me. Then the retreat sounded good, then I heard silent and I was thinking “ Ok not for me”, but then I thought, “Here is my own test of comfort”. I can not ask others if I am not willing to do it myself so I am going. It ends up being perfect for it is the weekend before Holy Week. That is a perfect way to enter the Holiest Week. 

    Our comfort zones do need to be challenged and when they are we expand that zone. We learn new things and maybe even new people. I never thought I would ever go on a retreat but then I ended up running some after my first one. Now a silent retreat is going to expand my zone.  I must admit I am a bit nervous about it but it also intrigues me as well. I really never have silence in my life. There is always some background noise going on. 

    Think about your comfort zone and what you thought you would never do and have done and how that has changed your comfort zone. Maybe you do not share your faith, maybe you stand silent as people mock the church or the faith, maybe you hide your cross under your shirt so no one knows.... Each of them keep you in a comfort zone. Expand it, maybe make that part of your Lent experience. Speak up and wear your faith on your sleeve. Test the waters and speak about your faith. You may just find new people around you that also share your faith and help them expand their comfort zone. 

     The retreat for me is a month and half away and I will sure be blogging about it after the fact. When I emailed the person who is running the retreat and spoke about my reservations of it being silent he added this quote from the Handbook of prayers “YEARLY, Spend two or three days each year in silence, speaking with God only. A few days retreat are necessary for the soul in the same way that the body needs a vacation. It is a yearly opportunity for conversion.”  I must admit that as I read that it clicked for me and that made me say this is the right one for me.  Lent is that time for conversion and here a silent retreat can help with that for me. 

     Look for some opportunities these coming weeks to expand your comfort zone. You never know what can happen unless you try.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and expand the zone in your life.