God's calling for us is a wonderful plan that brings prosperity and a future, but that doesn't mean that He gives us an easy calling. Most of the time, when Jesus calls us to follow Him and His purpose for us, it's going to be difficult to say the least. That's why He asks us to take up our cross and deny ourselves.
In Luke 14:27-28, Jesus says, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it." Jesus calls us to count the cost of following Him because there will always be a cost.
Is God calling you to start a business, walk into ministry, pursue a certain career, marry a certain person? There's always a cost to it and we will have to step out of our comfort zones and into the challenge of walking with and to Jesus. Here are three things we must always have as we step out of our comfort zone and into God's purpose.
Depend on God
Even as we walk into God's purposes, He never leaves us alone and never means for us to depend on our own strength. Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." If we walk to God's purposes by our own strength then we will miss out terribly on His perfect will. We cannot walk out of our comfort zone alone. We need God on our side.
Walk with others
As you jump out of your comfort zone and pursue God's expensive, hard yet most fulfilling purpose, you do not have to walk on your own. We can and must walk with others who will partner with us and pursue God's purpose. Often, God's will is far too big for one person and asks us to work together to pursue His purpose. Who are you walking with in fulfilling God's will?
Keep your eyes on the prize
No one must step out of their comfort zone without a goal and direction. God calls us to know our mission and vision and to pursue that relentlessly. As we walk out of our convenience and ease and into challenges and trials, we will face discouragement and hardships. In those times, we must keep our eyes on the prize so as to remember that we walk in God's strength. That gives us confidence that if God is for us, nothing can stop us.
