Comfort Zones and Consquences
“Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria…” – Amos 6:1
Amos spoke these words to people who had grown comfortable in their lives. They were enjoying wealth, security, and success, but their comfort had made them spiritually numb. They ignored injustice, turned a blind eye to the suffering of others, and lost the urgency of living faithfully before God. Comfort, when it leads to complacency, can carry serious consequences.
Earlier this year, I had already begun to recognize that I needed to make some changes in my health. I knew my weight and well-being weren’t where they needed to be. But recognition and conviction are two different things. I was still sitting in my comfort zone, telling myself I’d make changes “soon.”
Then came this summer. My two sons and I went hiking during our vacation in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. It was supposed to be a fun outing with the boys, but halfway through the trail, I was gasping for air, my body aching, and my energy gone. My boys were moving ahead with ease, and I was falling behind. At one point, I honestly thought I wasn’t going to make it. Standing there in the middle of the trail, I felt a wave of conviction. I knew then that my health wasn’t just something I needed to change someday—it was something I had to change now. That hike became the catalyst for real change.
Amos reminds us that complacency dulls our senses to God’s call. I had dulled my awareness with excuses, delaying what I already knew I needed to do. But just as Amos warned Israel, complacency has consequences. That moment on the trail was my wake-up call.
Since then, I’ve begun stepping out of my comfort zone and into a new way of living. It hasn’t been easy—change rarely is—but God has been faithful. Each step, each healthier choice, each small act of courage is a reminder that God’s strength meets me where mine runs out.
The truth is, comfort zones feel safe, but they often keep us from God’s best for us. Whether in our health, our faith, our relationships, or our calling, God invites us to trade ease for courage, apathy for action, and complacency for commitment.
Today, ask yourself: Where have I grown too comfortable? Where have I been delaying change I already know God is calling me to make?
May we be willing to step out of our comfort zones and trust that God meets us in the challenge with His strength, His grace, and His transforming love.
In God’s grip,
Pastor Chuck Church
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times I have let comfort keep me from following You fully. Give me courage to step into the new season You are calling me toward. Help me to trust that Your plans are better than my comfort zones. Amen.
