Step Beyond Comfortable

There's a song called 'Oceans' by Hillsong United with a line in it that says: 

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders." - Hillsong United

So easy and so lovely?

Such an easy and lovely line to sing, until you think about what it means. 

We believe that as followers of Jesus, we are to be imitators of Him. And as imitators of Christ, we are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead our lives in the same way Jesus did. Which sounds good and easy, until we don’t like where He wants to lead us. 

“Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.” Luke 4:1-2(NLT)

Into the Desert

The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness and there are times that the Holy Spirit leads us into wilderness places too. Places we don’t want to go. Uncomfortable places. Painful places. Desert places. Lonely places. We don’t typically like this direction of leading…we’d prefer the “leading out of” these situations rather than the “leading into” these situations. 

But, when Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit, it was to fulfill a purpose. It was to overcome something - to win a battle that needed to be fought. 

"When Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit, it was to fulfill a purpose."

It's about Overcoming

When the Holy Spirit leads us into places we find uncomfortable, it’s usually because something needs to be won or overcome. Whether it’s something inside of us that needs to be challenged and overcome, or situations/circumstances that need to be faced. That’s what it means to have trust that’s without borders. To be willing to take the step beyond the comfortable and into His plans and purposes that are always for the sake of victory. 

And remember, as you are led, you are not alone and you are not powerless. The Holy Spirit is your comforter, your wisdom and your strength, and He is with you and in you to empower you to do all that He has called you to do!  

-Pastor Desiree Esslinger