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Trusting God in Uncomfortable Places

step beyond

// 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.

 

 

 

 

Romans 4:20 (NIV) says that Abraham “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God.” Many years ago my father, Kenneth E. Hagin, wrote in the flyleaf of his Bible, “God said it; I believe it; and that settles it.” Abraham had this same attitude, and we need to grab hold of it too. No matter how bad our situation looks, our victory is found in God’s promises and in never letting go of what our Heavenly Father has said.
Don’t Be Double-Minded
Often today believers affirm their faith publicly, but when they are by themselves, they begin to question God. They wonder if He can really help them. The moment they start doubting, they begin wavering in their faith.
The Bible is very clear about the danger of wavering.
James 1:6–7 (NIV)
6 When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Faith does not look at circumstances, and it doesn’t regard feelings. It stays completely focused on God’s Word. Unfortunately, some people allow their situations and feelings to “speak” louder than Scripture.
Some people lose their healing because they stop looking at the Word and focus on what’s going on in their body. It’s dangerous to do this, because before long they will start talking wrong. They’ll begin to say things like, “I thought I was healed. I guess I lost my healing.”
When we start talking like that, we throw out our healing and open the door for the devil and all of his junk to come back in. If we would just stand strong on the Word, every symptom would leave.
Look to the Word
Anytime the enemy bombards your mind with his lies, you must counter those lies with the Word of God. When lack rears its ugly head, read what God said about prosperity. When sickness impacts your body, meditate on healing scriptures. When fear invades your life, find peace scriptures to read. When impossibilities stare you in the face, the Word holds your answer.
Reading God’s promises keeps us focused on them instead of on the distractions that are sent to prevent us from receiving what God has for us. When facing the impossible, we can’t afford to look at whatever is coming against us.
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