Comfort. We define it in different ways. We seek it in different elements. We may want it from our food. We definitely want it in our relationships. We seek to make it an element in making our house a home. We read about different ways to achieve it. We may even seek it from our clothes. But, ultimately, what is it?
Is comfort something that we should attempt to achieve? Is comfort a beneficial thing by any means? Does comfort lead to anything? Is comfort an acceptable end, no matter the means?
On a personal note, comfort is what I've spent the last few years attempting to attain. Aside from the occassional frustrating day or two, comfort is something I've treated like a desirable conclusion. As I strive ever the more to live a life of comfort, I sit on the edge of proverbial seat of life hoping that nothing upsets the delicate balance so that I might fall out of the seat in an uncomfortable way.
Here I stand. As I look through the human history of which I am aware, noone ever accomplished something great by maintaining comfort. Comfort never led to anything other than complacency. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes, A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships were built for. And while I am forever wanting to improve, occassionally, I need a messenger to give me a nudge in the right direction.
In my life, God has blessed me with many good friends, and recently one of them gave me such a nudge. I had become very comfortable in my life, and I need to strive for improvement, despite my belief that contentment is important. While I fear the pain that change may bring, I fear more the pain of not being obedient or worthy of my call.
So, if you know me, and you see me striving harder on something that you thought I had let become something that I just did not strive for hard enough previously, it probably means a friend has given me a nudge. As one who is thankful for these nudges, maybe if you see me failing in a given area, you, too, will give me a gentle nudge.
After all maybe the thing you need to get better at is giving the gentle nudges to people who miss part of the picture like me, and I am now giving you the gentle nudge to do so. And while comfort is not always easiest in the wake of a storm, I find that my faith and belief in God are most strengthened by these times of growth!
So, I guess I will conclude that I hope to no longer be comfortable!:)
This is really insightful, Matt. I do think that comfort serves a purpose, but maybe the purpose it serves is supposed to be directly related to the pain it has the potential of leveling out. Maybe Abigail burns her hand, and I give her ice to comfort it. Or Jay loses his friend to cancer, and I do what I can to provide comfort for him. I have never considered that comfort outside of this type of context might be a perversion of it. You are making me think. :-)
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