Trusting God in Uncomfortable Places
// Lynette Hagin
Speaker Highlight
It's amazing how God gets us out of our comfort zone. He often puts us in places where we are not comfortable. Why? So we can rely on His comfort, wisdom, and strength.
Years ago when Rhema Bible Training College began, I asked God, "Where is my place?" I'd always been involved in ministry, but at that point in my life I didn't know where my place was. So I began to seek God diligently. I said, "God, show me where Your plan for me is in this whole picture."
At that time my husband began overseeing building construction on the Rhema campus. As the first building was going up, Ken came to me and said, "We need somebody to choose carpet, paint colors, wallpaper, and furniture. I guess you're going to have to do that."
Now, I had never been interested in doing that. But I was so happy to be doing something that I just jumped in and started doing it. I never thought about the fact that I didn't know how to do it!
As we built more buildings, the project got bigger and bigger. It finally got so big that it was scary, because I thought, "God, I don't know what I am doing. I don't know how to do this." I had nightmares of huge crowds of people seeing the campus and frowning. I would hear the people say, "Who on earth decorated this?"
Because I felt so uncomfortable in an interior designer's role, I started complaining to God. I said, "Why are You using me in this? This place needs to be organized. I'm good at that. I can do that." I wanted Him to let someone else do the decorating. Then I asked, "God, why?" I needed to know why He had put me in a place where I didn't feel qualified.
If we will be open to hear God's answers, He will answer any question we have. Sometimes we don't want to receive His answer. Too many times, we don't want to listen if He says something contrary to what we want to do. But I came to Him sincerely, with an open heart. I wanted to know His answer.
God can speak to us in different ways. It can be an impression, an inner witness, or an inward audible voice. Sometimes He speaks through His Word. He will speak to us in prayer. We must keep our ears tuned all the time for an answer.
I will never forget the answer I received from the Lord. He spoke to me in a booming, audible voice. He said, "I will teach you supernaturally how to decorate this campus so that you will learn how to listen to My voice." He also said, "You're going to need to listen to My voice in order to accomplish what I have for you to do." Well, I successfully decorated the campus.
God wants each of us to step into our place. This is a time and season when He is getting us out of our comfort zone. As we trust His plan, He will take us to new depths and heights. But we must rely on Him. We must be open to hear His answers and follow His plan.
I've learned there's no way we can do the things God has called us to do in our own ability. In order for us to be in the place God has for each of us, we have to be willing to step beyond what we're familiar with. As we do, we can trust God to give us everything we need to succeed in our place.
[Editor’s Note: This article was adapted from Lynette Hagin’s Tuesday morning message at Winter Bible Seminar 2014.