A Different Kind of Comfortable

I'm currently reading Radical: Taking Your Faith Back from The American Dream by David Platt. I personally believe this book is exceptional and worthy to be read by all, but I am also convinced that a majority of people would abhor this book for the content of this book is not always easy to read. It forces you to look at yourself and your faith and to determine whether it is self-centered or God-centered. As I am reading this book, my heart is excited by what Platt writes and what could happen across the world if we lived in total abandonment to Christ, but even still, I feel the enemy combating everything I read, showing me excuses about why certain things aren't true or why this doesn't apply to me, but the reality is that they are, and it does. I'm only a portion of a way through the book, but wanted to share some of the quotes that are challenging and inspiring my heart.

"Somewhere along the way we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."

"Is His word enough for us?"

"The question for us, then, is whether we trust in His power. And the problem for us is that in our culture, we are tempted at every turn to trust in our own power instead."

"We ask God for gifts in prayer and He gives us the Giver. We ask God for supply and He gives us the Source."

"It's a foundational truth: God creates, blesses and saves each of us for a radically global purpose."

"We have unnecessarily drawn a line of distinction assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all."

"God has given us His grace to extend His glory to the end of the earth."

I would quote the entire book, but it's already been written. Every chapter excites my heart, as Platt talks about how as believers we are called to spread the gospel to all nations and what that looks like. I'm challenged to not live the comfortable, self-centered Christian life. It's not about me or what I like or what I want- God has redeemed me for His glory and His purposes, not so that I can be comfortable. It's not about picking and choosing what part of God's word applies to my life, every word was God-breathed and intentional. It all applies, the commands apply just as much as the promises. While it's a challenge not to choose the comfortable, easy path, it's not a path that I want to take. I want to live fully abandoned to the Creator of the Universe and let Him guide my path, for He promises plans to give me a hope and future and not to harm me. While He doesn't say it will also be comfortable, I'm a different kind of comfortable resting in His hands.

week 9: Churches in Iraq have been targeted by bombs; believers are afraid to meet there. Pray for courage.