About 20 years ago, I took a 30 minute morning drive nearly ever week to attend a church mid-week morning prayer. Working from home – even way back then – made it easier for me to get away before I started my day.
I was in a place of faith where I wanted more of God. Or, rather, I wanted to at least be around other Christians who, I thought, wanted more of God too. Looking back on it now, I was actually in training.
Prayer training.
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Having recently joined the church’s choir, I began to enjoy prayer. Before each Sunday service or special event, our choir would get together for prayer. We’d gather in a large room to pray individually first, and then come together as one, praying for the people and everyone who would be speaking or serving in each of the services to come.
When a group of Christians gather together to first, submit themselves to God, and second, pray for His will to be done, it is nothing short of amazing. It enriches the soul. We lift not only each other’s burdens, but the congregation’s as well.
Let me tell you…the presence of the Lord was in that place.
My focus during those prayer times was Him. It didn’t matter what else was going on, I simply wanted to be His and bless Him. And through that, He began teaching me to pray, to read His word and to begin to understand the spiritual nature of being a follower of Christ.
The revelations He began sharing with me…there is no way I could have come up with those on my own. He was showing me things about the services, the people and more. The more He shared, the more I wanted, but I had no one teaching it to me. You could say I was “winging it”, but I know Holy Spirit was doing the leading and teaching.
20 years ago, I became hungry for prayer.
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If you knew me then, you would have seen someone who was reserved, mistrusting of people, yet wanting to do right by the Lord who saved me.
I loved Jesus. He rescued me from the pit that I was in and gave me a brand new life path. Despite what I thought was my constant veering off of that path, He continually waited for me to get back on it. He still does.
My life then was filled with chaos and pain and confusion, but I wanted Him. I wanted to thank Him the best way I knew how. He saved me through music, so music is how I thanked, praised, worshiped and served Him.
As I obeyed Him through serving in the choir and through prayer, He began to reveal things to me about His church, individual people and more. Believe me, I didn’t understand it all. I was just trying to do what He was telling me to do. He was speaking through me with the gift of knowledge.
Then, He began to speak to me through visions. Now, before you close this browser tab, it’s not what you think.
I didn’t go blabbing it to others like I was some kind of thang. I wrote them down. From time to time I would confide in one person, but most of what He showed me I kept to myself.
Or, I prayed and asked God for more understanding.
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At one morning prayer, God’s presence was very much with us. I’m not sure how many of us were there, but we walked around the sanctuary – a big room with a platform up front, sound/video booths in the back and the chairs in the middle, set in four sections.
I’m not sure how long we would pray, but this one day we gathered afterward in a circle in front of the stage. The pastor shared what was on his heart and he asked if anyone else had something to share.
I didn’t want to speak. I prefer to hide. Back then, I would question myself and wonder if I, an unlearned ignorant Christian, was actually hearing from God. But, something that I can only explain as a spiritual kick in the pants compelled me forward and I spoke.
I had a vision and a word from the Lord. It was short, but I got the point. He said, “It’s time to get out of your comfort zone and into mine.”
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To this day, I don’t remember what anyone said after that. I do remember that it resonated with them. What I do remember is that there was such a presence, a power, an anointing on me that I wanted to weep.
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“It’s time to get out of your comfort zone and into mine.”
Those were the Lord’s words to me. I had never heard them before. I’d never heard anyone talk or preach on comfort zones before with respect to the Lord. Comfort or ‘being comfortable’? Yes. But never “comfort zones”.
Those words are still with me today. They have helped me overcome a lot of fears and the aforementioned trust issues I’ve had. Those words help me to take a leap of faith. They remind me that I am not in control. God is the one in control. And He will do what He will do.
More recently, I’ve heard more prominent Christian leaders mention this concept. The very thing I heard 20 years ago is coming more and more to light today. But why?
I believe God is preparing us. He’s been trying to prepare us long before I heard His words 20 years ago, and He continues through today. It is going to get uncomfortable to be a Christian in America. If we don’t learn how to get into His comfort zone instead of being comfortable in our own now, we will not be prepared for what is to come.
Getting out of our comfort zone means a level of complete trust in Jesus. Only in Jesus will we find a peace that surpasses all understanding. It is only in Him where we can learn to be content. Through Jesus will our mourning be turned into dancing. In Jesus will we have that joy unspeakable.
Despite all that is yet to come, in Jesus, will still find rest.
His comfort zone.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
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Sunny Cadwallader 
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