One of the most common destructive mindsets overlooked is the idol of comfort. Unlike overt sin (i.e., killing, stealing, and destruction), this mindset is often allowed to grow - and subtly; before its discovery, decades can pass. The majority of Christians surveyed in this study admitted they did not consider comfort as an evil and offensive activity. Nearly all participants taken through various freedom workshops studied had not made the connection with their choices and the root of comfort worship.
It is important to note that not all comfort is sinful. The heart of this issue is an issue of the heart. That is to say, when comfort becomes more important than the worship of God, comfort has crossed over from an appropriate thing to an ultimate idea. When Christians care more about comfort than worshipping God, comfort has then become their idol. When Christians make comfort matter more than the Kingdom of God, they have engaged in idolatry, which is evil and offensive in God’s sight.
The strength this idol has over a person is in direct proportion to the amount of time it is hidden. The Discovery of this idol occurs through the awakening of the Holy Spirit amid gospel-centered community. Discovery can happen in private, but God always helps people through people. Deliverance from the bondage of comfort, worship, and freedom to live in a transparent Christ-centered community cannot be separated.
To place one’s comfort as primary is a form of self-worship, which is in direct opposition to the Christian life. Jesus’ call to discipleship is the antithesis of comfort; discipleship is costly and uncomfortable:
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26).
Jesus told his disciples that being associated with Christ will entail hardship and persecution, which became an ongoing theme in Paul’s ministry. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20a).
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). To be ‘fit for the Kingdom of God’ one must forsake even their own family.
59 To another, he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-62). 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27).
Luke 14:33 captures Jesus’ summary statement on the price of discipleship is costly. In addition to the costly call of discipleship, there is the call of ongoing sanctification amidst the Christian community. Christians are to gather regularly (Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, James 5:16, Galatians 6:2, and John 13:34-35). Brett McCracken wrote a book entitled, “uncomfortable.” He talks about the church’s dilemma of consumeristic Christianity and our worship of comfort. Christian community is not always comfortable.
Athletes who participate in Freedom Vision will be encouraged with sports analogies. Facilitators will tell them, “In order to get better, you will be pushed out of your comfort zone. There’s no growth in the comfort zone and there’s no growth in the comfort zone.” This is not to say all comfort is sinful. To reiterate a major theme of Freedom Vision, the heart of the issue is an issue of the heart. The desire to be comfortable at the expense of trusting God must be renounced as “evil and offensive in God’s sight.”
The enemy tries to convince believers that catering to what is comfortable will lead to happiness, but the truth is life in the comfort zone prohibits growth. Since comfort is rooted in deception, the following list of comfort idols masked in arguments and quarrels must be confessed and renounced. Freedom Vision participants will be given an opportunity to write down and confess the following comfort idols:
The following is a prayer to renounce the god of comfort:
Lord, I have given comfort an improper place in my life. Thank you for your forgiveness. I choose to look only to you for comfort and rejoice knowing that I need/have is you.
No comments:
Post a Comment