PSALM 119:67, 71 – Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
THEME OF THE DAY. A LIFE OF EASE AND COMFORT. We are wired for them. We seek them. Nothing wrong with them if seen and handled right. They are good for us. They also may become very bad for us. And if not guarded against, they will become soul-damaging habits. They are “ease” and “comfort.”
First, the positive side of them. Our Lord Jesus knows we cannot continue “burning the candle at both ends” for long without causing great physical and spiritual harm in our lives. Jesus taught this to His disciples. We read, “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat (Mark 6:30-31). It has been said, “If you don’t come apart, you will come apart.” Periods of ease and comfort are necessary. We need those “down times” to rejuvenate us in the spiritual race and war we are called to run and fight. However, there is another side of ease and comfort which has a negative impact on us. Devastatingly so if we are not careful.
The negative side of ease and comfort is they may control us instead of us controlling them. Allow ease and comfort to become fixations in our lives. Allow the pursuit of them to become almost like hobbies. Allow them to prevent us from spiritual service and time in the Word and prayer and what God meant for good, we have turned bad. If we allow our fleshly craving for ease and comfort dominate us, two things will happen. There will be the formation of lazy spiritual habits which will be hard to break. Here is one upfront and personal. We have not been able to be in church physically for a long time. The ease and comfort of sitting on a couch in the cozy confines of our homes watching our live streamed services will tempt us to see this as an acceptable substitute for physical church. It is not. Fight the temptation due to ease and comfort to sinfully justify not returning to church. The other thing which will happen if we give into ease and comfort will be the formation of spiritual barrenness in our spiritual lives. We will neglect the Bible, prayer, and become spiritually lethargic. King Solomon captures both of these negative results of a life of ease and comfort in his Proverbs. We read, “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:6-11).
Ease and comfort. These are wonderful gifts of God’s grace. Use them wisely. Don’t make them your masters or idols. They were given for our good to keep us persevering in the grueling and wearisome life of walking with Christ in a hostile and sinful world.
PRAYER: “Father, guard me against seeking a life of ease and comfort which always cause spiritual damage in Your children.”
QUOTE: “Watch your heart for pulling you into a dangerous spiritual position of feeding your flesh’s desire for ease and comfort.”