Last weekend, the college ministry enjoyed our Fall Retreat on beautiful Lake Granbury, and it was an incredible weekend! It was relaxing to be on the lake, with little structure and few plans, but we also did plenty of fun and uplifting things. We had some devotional times, sang worship songs, and prayed together. We got out on the boat to go tubing and wake-surfing. We played games, watched football, and ate a ton of food.
The students and I are immensely thankful to Jim and Dana Sager for welcoming us to their house on the lake and ensuring that we had a blast while we were there. It was so much fun, but it was also a great experience for another important reason – it helped us to re-focus on God.
For many of the students who came on the trip, this was a departure from their comfort zone. Don’t get me wrong – it was very comfortable – but when given the choice between doing something and doing nothing, it’s almost always easier to do nothing. The students who went on the retreat could have stayed home to play video games or watch Netflix, they could have caught up or gotten ahead on school work, or they could have just opted for a
weekend off.
Those are the sorts of comfortable things most folks do when they have some down time, but this group chose to do something instead of nothing, and they were blessed by that. I think this willingness to leave our comfort zones and do something different is a highly important part of creating space for God to work.
God can bring transformation in all situations, but outside of our comfort zones is where we often meet Him in deep and meaningful ways. I encourage you to take that lesson from the students who came on the retreat last weekend – God does some of His best work on us when we are willing to leave our comfort zones. It is there that we meet people we may not otherwise have met, notice needs we may not otherwise have noticed, and discover experiences we may not otherwise have discovered.
Often, outside of our comfort zones is where we encounter God in new and exciting ways, so I encourage you to go there.
