This life and our culture is an endless pursuit of comfort. It’s natural. We want to be free from pain or any kind of discomfort. Whether it’s cold outside, or we have a little pain in our toe, we don’t like it. We don’t like pain. In 1 John 2:15 Jesus tells us not to love the world. He’s not instructing us to avoid people in the world, rather he’s pointing out that cultural systems, accomplishments, and worldly comforts can be a stumbling block between you and God. What is the system of this world? It is a life that does not need God. We try to find our comfort and a life that is apart from him.
Chasing Counterfeit Comfort
A counterfeit is an imitation— it replaces a valuable thing with something that is worthless. There exists inside of every person a spiritual emptiness. You were created with a hole in your heart. Whether you know it or not, you long for the love of God. How can we experience the love of God? We need to love what he loves and what he loves most is people. He is most drawn to those who are hurting, the poor, and the weak. It’s time that we cry out “Lord, break our hearts with the things that break your heart.”
It’s Christ’s love that compels us to serve God. But we don’t want to need him. We are constantly looking for ways to make ourselves comfortable rather than pursuing the things that God loves. Hebrews 11 tells us about many of the heroes of the Old Testament. Abraham, Noah, Moses, and others put themselves in situations where if God did not show up, they would look like a fool. When was the last time you stepped out in such a way? When have you risked it all with your pride on the line?
Time to Get Comfortable
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 tells us that it is God who brings us real comfort. However…
2 Corinthians 1:5
Wait, what? We get comfort by sharing in the sufferings of Christ. So much of Scripture is a paradox and counter-intuitive. If I work out for an hour every day lifting heavy weights it is going to make an impact on my life. If I eat my idea of the ultimate comfort food—giant bowls of ice cream, peanut butter, and chocolate—that also is going to make an impact on my life.
James 1:2-3
James 1:4
This Is Not Your Best Life
Trying to fulfill an eternal longing with temporary comfort will lead to an empty life.
Matthew 16:25
The only chance you have to gain true comfort and satisfaction in this life is to live in a way that is keeping your eyes on the eternal life waiting for you in heaven. Don’t let the comfort of this world distract you or keep you from the eternal glory that is waiting. Your best life is not now. It was never going to be now. God, Jesus, right now is preparing a place for you that is better than you could ever imagine. This life is only a moment, a twinkle in God’s eye. We will exist forever hanging out with our wonderful friend Jesus. This life is not about comfort, it is about serving him and working to have every person that we possibly can join us forever in heaven. The best present I can give my friend Jesus is somebody else to worship him for all eternity.
The Rock, your place to belong
At the Rock, you can belong before you believe. Use the links to the right to begin your relationship with Rock Church. If you are local to Fargo, click the “free movie ticket” button to check the right and out one of our services, every Sunday at 10 AM, at West Acres Cinema. If you are not local to our area, that’s okay. There are all kinds of ways that you can participate in the happenings at Rock Church. We have many people that only interact with our church online. Use the “become a friend” button to be included in everything we are doing.
