I sometimes think that comfort is the enemy to faith. Telestial comfort. If you are living in faith you live, by your own free will and choice, on the outer boundary of your understanding.
Stepping into the unknown becomes a regular habit, seeking to expand the boundary of what you know into the unknown.
We learn to trade Telestial comfort for the actual Comforter.
I believe this is the straight and narrow path. Standing on the edge of darkness and continually stepping. Responding to the invitation of the Lord to move forward.
And with each step the light flows into the new space you occupy. No matter where you are on your path, the next step should always be one of faith.
If we retreat into comfortable territory, that doesn’t require expansion but idles our spirits in the comforts of the known, and try to pass that off as being faithful, we enter into a soft delusion. If that state isn’t moved through quickly, it settles like cement and we become fooled into thinking that we are faithful in a state of light that requires no more voluntary stretching.
And we receive what we truly want – the place we choose to settle is choosing our kingdom. We are always choosing a kingdom: the key is if we really want to be with the Father and the Son we cannot settle until we are in their presence and endowed with all that they possess. How many truly want this?
This resonates with me. I am currently in an in between state of being found, but also feeling lost. What I mean by that is I am awake, but while so many others around me slumber, I feel a bit lonely. This is new territory for me and certainly not comfortable. It is stretching me in ways that is sometimes painful. However, I can see that I am choosing it.
I love what you say, “that we are always choosing a kingdom.”
Ultimately it is our own choice where we will be when it is all said and done and even at times when I feel covered in a blanket of loneliness, I find myself desiring to choose to be at the side of Heavenly Father and our Savior, rather than a more comfortable spot. Which of course in turn reveals, I am absoltely not alone.
Thank you for this post! It is beautifully written and has helped me see the path before me more clearly.
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