Spiritual Stretching

Duane Vander Klok

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes God calls us out of the comfort of our own home and what’s familiar, and into the unknown. Sometimes He calls us to a new path, career, or city. Sometimes it’s smaller than that, and is a call to go introduce yourself to your neighbor, pray over someone at the bus stop, or pay the bill for a stranger behind you at the coffee shop. It looks different for everyone, but God likes to stretch us.

Yet, if we are honest, stretching isn’t always that fun. It’s uncomfortable, its unfamiliar, and it’s never easy. The good news is that it may not be easy, but it is simple. Think about it this way, have you ever lifted weights, went for a run, or worked out in some way? If you want to get stronger, faster, and better, you need to stretch yourself. You need to run longer or faster, or you need to lift heavier weights and use muscles that you don’t usually use. The physical task to “run faster,” or “run longer,” or “lift heavier weight,” is simple. We can wrap our minds around these actions. Yet the physical act of pushing through the fear, doubt, and pain is never easy. You must get up and stay focused, and the end results will stretch you and help you live a longer and healthier life.

God will never overwhelm us or give us something that we cannot handle. We can rest in the fact that He is a good Father, and only has good intentions and plans for His children.

This week, let’s refocus and listen to what God is calling us to do. No matter how big or small it may be, let’s respond by getting up, push through the fear, doubt, and pain, and follow Him.