Get uncomfortable for Him!

So last night I was able to share a little bit about what conference meant to me...to be honest, I wish I would have written stuff down! So many things happened at conference and I wish I could of just given a LONG bullet list of it all! haha

Do you ever just take a moment to reflect on what God has done in your life?
Well, conference allowed me to do that! As Carl Lentz, Rich Wilkerson Jr., Judah Smith, Pastor Nick, Chad Veach and John Gray were speaking.. I was just in AWE! I was in AWE at how God was using them as messangers, at how I could feel the entire PLACE fill with HOPE and how I could use every WORD they said and realize that God has done everything in my life and I have been so incredibly busy and focused on going and going and going for Him, for work, for my life..that I havent really looked back and realized how He has worked in my life- especially in the past year.

Carl Lentz talked about being uncomfortable- and I just want to reflect on this and hopefully you realize this as well..or something else speaks to you through this...

I love what Carl Lentz said... "God shows up in the deep end when you are drowning". Man, is this true! I was thinking back on this last year of my life where I have been so incredibly focused on achieveing goals A-Z that I was constantly trying to keep myself from drowning..I was trying to pull myself out of the water..but the water just felt like it was going higher and higher and it was getting harder and harder to breath. I remember one moment so well...I was sitting in my closet (apparently thats where I do my thinking haha)..and I just started CRYING and I remember saying "God..figure this out! help me!" Little did I know..God was just WAITING for me to give it to Him. He knew EXACTLY what was coming for me but he was just waiting for his little stubborn Megan to realize it. Fast forward a couple of months...God not only helped me out..He made a miracle come true...He made everything my Ephesians 3:20! A year ago I couldnt even fathom what God has done with my life...its so real to me that you've gotta get out there..you HAVE to get SOAKED and you have to give it ALL YOU'VE GOT..justremember to also put your hands up and let Him grab you..let Him take you where you need to go.

I have seen what God does in our lives when we put ourselves out there..when we feel awkward..when we feel uncomfortable. I know that God gets so happy when He sees us get outside of 'our bubble' and when we realize our potential. God has given us SO MUCH! He knows what we can handle..He just wants to see if we can push ourselves to realize it. When I have goals in front of me, I am the kind of person that will do whatever it takes to get them accomplished! What conference also showed me was that, I need to keep working super hard, but, I also need to keep running towards God on my way to the goal. I know that when I have done this..God has worked miracles. I think I NEEDED to reflect on these kinds of things to realize it- I am so blessed that I realized this and that I was able to do so!

Like Judah Smith was talking about..When I was running towards some goals this year..after I was drowning..and after God pulled me out...I could see the goal..but most importantly, I saw God standing right next to that goal, saying "Come to me!".

I was holding onto the promise..but I was also holding onto the promise keeper. Talk to me a couple years back..when I was lost, and when my goals werent coming true...I would have said "what are you talking about?!..It just wasnt the right time. I just didnt have the right opportunities..etc" WRONG! I just wasnt keeping my eyes focused on the promise AND the promise keeper!

It is uncomfortable, sometimes, to tell people you cant do a-b-or c because you have church..or you have life group..or you want to read the Bible..or you would rather pray...etc..but you know what people..thats when the best things happen! I know, with my life, I wasn't getting much done when I was comfortable...I was accomplishing SQUAT. But, in the times when I became brave..when I busted out my bible at the pool instead of a dumb magazine...when I prayed at dinner around a ton of non believers...God worked miracles! He caught peoples attention...gave me connections...gave me a rewarding phone call..SO MANY THINGS were waiting for me, I just had to get uncomfortable!

This totally applies to spreading HOPE and LIFE in our city- We need to get uncomfortable..we need to go up to those people that are mean to us..that make fun of us..that think we are so WEIRD for LOVING our church! We need to get them to hear the good news and have fun! There are people in my life that think I am a nut for hanging out at church many nights a week instead of going out to bars, etc...they think I am boring..they think I dont know how to have fun...THOSE are the people that I need to reach out to! Sure, I send texts because I "feel bad" for not asking them..but of course, no response back..and I just go "ok guess that was a no"..WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?! I was sticking my big toe in the pool and feeling the water and then saying "oh its too cold...i dont want to go in". I NEED TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE! I need to show up at their "hang outs" I need to invite them to dinner..I need to make them dinner..I need to do SOMETHING-ANYTHING!

Another thing I noticed...Sometimes, you've only got one shot! A year ago..I saw people who I could tell just needed a friend..someone to talk to ..someone to eat lunch with, etc. but I was so busy with hw, studying, other things in life that I remember walking by them and thinking "I am too busy today...but next time I see them I will eat lunch with them." Sad to say, there was never a next time..I never saw them at the cafeteria again.

 Today- it is so uncomfortable for me to sit down with someone and start talking and getting to know their story- but ya know what, every person whose story I have gotten to know- has helped my life. Sure I was uncomfortable, but God knew that if I could get over myself and talk to that person, my life would change and so would theirs.

Next time you feel it on your heart to hang out with someone, to get to know them, to bring them to church...jump in friends. Dont just feel the water.

Finally- God brings our goals/dreams to reality when we are uncomfortable. I dont know about you, but I love being uncomfortable and accomplishing something then looking back on it and really thinking "wow Lord..thank you for delivering! Thank you for breaking me, thank you for letting me meet those people, thank you for letting me almost drown and letting me know what it really feels like to be brought back to life!"

Obviously, I wasnt there, but I am PRETTY CONFIDENT that Jesus was VERY uncomfortable up on that cross. God was uncomfortable sending His only son to die for us. But He did it for us! Even when Jesus was up on that cross, uncomfortable, He forgave each and every person that hurt him. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they have done". In the midst of pain, and extreme uncomfort- our God forgave us!

Now...if God can accomplish our goals for us when we are uncomfortable...why is it so hard for us to get uncomfortable to accomplish His goals?

PEOPLE GET UNCOMFORTABLE! We are called to bring people to Jesus. It is going to be hard, it is going to be exhausting and we are going to get hurt by people. Lets learn from the perfect example- forgive those people and keep on trying! If someone makes fun of you, the world wants us to turn away and never talk to them again. But God- He cant wait for us to get uncomfortable..go up to that person...forgive them OVER AND OVER again and share the good news with them!