June 27, 2022
Just the other day, Daniel, Stephen, and I went to the city to get our haircuts. It was a weekday and there wasn't much parking available, but we happened to find a small public parking lot where you could pay at a digital pay station. We finished our haircuts and went out and discovered Daniel had received a ticket! It didn’t make a whole lot of sense because he had paid at the pay station and had the receipt, yet there it was plain as day on his windshield, a $55 fine. Even though he had done everything right — parked between the lines, paid the fee, etc. — he still had "parked" in the wrong place.
Many of us we've done that exact same thing. We are doing everything right, following the rules, and living a moral life, yet we have "parked" in the wrong place. We've quit taking risks, we've quit stepping out, we've quit pushing for better and as a result, we aren't seeing the progress we'd like.
In Numbers 13, We see the children of Israel are afraid to take a risk. They have seen the promised land and all its bounty, yet still, they don't want to leave their comfort zone. In verse 31, they respond to Caleb who is all fired up to take his inheritance — "we can't..." How many times have we missed out on God's best because of those two words right there? "I CAN'T" Let's eliminate those words from our vocabulary, and refuse to stay parked where we are! Step out, take a risk, and live the adventure God has planned for you!
"The greatest lessons we learn in life only come OUTSIDE our comfort zone."
— Simon Bailey
"If you opt for a safe life, you will never know what it’s like to win."
— Richard Branson
There are three areas in our life we need to designate as "No Parking" zones.
- Past Negative Experiences
- Past Achievements
- Comfort Zones
It’s tempting to park in the past, whether good or bad, it’s tempting to stay in our comfort zones because of the familiarity of it all. But parking in these places robs us of the amazing future God has planned for us!
One time, I asked my pastor, Pastor Tommy Barnett, "if you could do it all over what would change about your years of ministry, or what would you do differently?" I expected him to say, "spend more time with my family" or "pray more", but what he said was this — "I WOULD TAKE MORE RISKS!"
Let's continue to take risks, push for more, and live the life God has for us!
Pastor David Blunt
Question for Growth:
Is there someplace you have "parked" that you shouldn't have? Have you allowed comfort, fear, or excuses block you into mediocrity?
Recommended Book:
Life Is Tremendous - Charlie Jones
