When you hear the word Contender, what is the first thing you think of? Do you think of such words as competitor, corrival, opponent, an enemy even? All of these would be accurate. The one thing that I thought of when this blog entry came to mind was, oftentimes when we think contender, we think of a person. We think of the person or people who may be our competitor, rival, opponent, etc. ultimately, our contender.
Today, I want to challenge your thoughts as I was challenged. What if I told you, your biggest contender is not a person, but your own comfort? As we embark upon a New Year, we normally set New Year Resolutions, name all of the things that we are going to do differently in the coming year. Year after year, we find ourselves faltering most times, in the first month of the new year. Upon faltering, we crawl right back into our beds of comfort, instead of getting back up and continue to push forward into what we said we were going to do.
This coming year, I want to challenge you to write down the things that you would like to accomplish. Upon writing them down, put a date of manifestation and a strategy of how you can ensure it comes to pass. Most of all, commit to making it happen. Know that plans may change, dates may change, but seeing manifestation does not have to change. No matter what obstacles arise, you do not have to give up on what you will to accomplish.
Decide today that comfort is no longer going to be the thing that holds you back. Determine to get uncomfortable. Yes, there will be some long days, nights, sleepless and maybe even some tears, but there is no greater joy than seeing your hard work and dedication manifest into reality.
What are some areas of life you have been comfortable? Do you recall a past time that you broke through a level of comfort? What was that time like and are you willing to do it again, to experience that feeling and that sense of accomplishment again?
I recall losing my job in 2017. I was with the company for 18 years and had definitely grown comfortable. You could even say, I was so comfortable that I never imagined “losing” my job. However, when it happened, I was reminded that after losing my husband 2 years prior, God and I had a conversation and leaving my job to trust him in another endeavor, was part of that conversation. Instead, I allowed comfort to cause me to stay. Upon being told that I was being let go, God immediately reminded me of that past conversation. In that moment, my Supervisor at the time, seemed surprised at my response to her action. I responded by letting her know I understood. She then apologized. I remember telling her, God will take care of me and my daughter, no worries.
God dealt with me on the drive home. He said, I gave you the opportunity to trust me and leave, but you would not. Therefore, I had to shake the foundation, forcing you out. Ultimately, I had to become uncomfortable because everything would change. I could have stayed comfortable, found another job, and continued in all that I knew. Instead, I begin to accept what had happened as a part of the process to totally change life as I knew it. I was already in the process of pursuing relocation and was supposed to have left my job a whole year before being let go. I realized I stayed out of comfort. 3 months later, I relocated. There was absolutely no more comfort for me, because now I was made completely uncomfortable. In the process, I decided that whenever I got to a place in my life that I was feeling comfortable, I would always take that as a sign that it was time again, to take another leap of faith.
Therefore, I am sharing with and challenging you, whenever you become comfortable in life, decide to take a leap of faith, that will cause you to become uncomfortable, and watch how God blesses you for doing so. We will never experience all that we are supposed to in life, being comfortable. Release your contender comfort, today. Vow to never allow yourself to miss out on future blessings and accomplishments due to comfort. Decree today, comfort will not be a prevention on my journey. I Decree your best days are ahead and you will not miss out, due to comfort.
May 2021 be a year of complete faith and the manifestation thereof, because you decide to become uncomfortable!