Is Your Comfort Zone a Cage?

I could feel the muscles in my legs beginning to shake. My hands gripped two climbing holds tightly as I searched for another. I could see one above me but I would have to jump to reach it. A large part of my mind was focused on the fact that there was a 25-foot drop below me. A smaller part of my mind reminded me that the harness around my waist and legs and the belayer below me would keep me safe even if I fell. Still, I hesitated. This was my first time rock-climbing in years and I was running out of grip and arm strength. Finally, I pushed up hard, reaching with one hand for the next hold. I grabbed it and held on tight. It was one small move, but I felt like I’d accomplished a great feat. 

Nearly two hours before, I had finished eating dinner with my brother. As we were parting, he invited me to go rock climbing at the gym. I agreed. It was a small thing, but in my mind, it was a big step. I’d always wanted to go, but never had the courage or the friends to go with me. For many years, this situation has been normal for me. As an introvert, I’d always found it easier to spend evenings in my room studying or hanging out with a small group of friends. To try something new, however small it might be, was usually way out of my comfort zone. Even if I wanted to do things that looked fun, it took hours—even days sometimes—to work up the courage to do them. 

Thankfully, God knows my weaknesses and doesn't let me stay in them. Over the last two years, He put numerous opportunities before me that forced me to step outside of my comfort zone. Through those experiences, I began to realize that what I had thought was my comfort zone was actually a cage I had unconsciously built around myself to keep myself from doing things that might be risky or uncomfortable. A deeper reality of this “cage” that I was beginning to see was that I had also stopped myself from growing in confidence and courage, a process that almost always includes taking risks and being uncomfortable. 

A verse from the Bible that I found and looked at often towards the beginning of this journey of realization was Psalm 112:6-8a which says, “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid…” (English Standard Version). I desperately wanted to be unafraid and trusting in the Lord because some small part of me recognized that it would open the door for me to live a life of confidence and wholeheartedly pursue what the Lord had for me. 

Fast-forward a year and a half, and many experiences later, and I finally understood that true confidence comes from knowing who I am in Christ, being willing to go where He leads me, and enjoying this world and the people that He has made. Today, I’ve come to see that having that kind of confidence has farther-reaching impacts than going to the climbing wall.

It takes that kind of confidence to walk up to a complete stranger and share the good news, the gospel, with them. It takes that kind of confidence to speak the truth in grace to people who hate you for what you believe. It takes that kind of confidence to work hard, to love others, and to not be afraid of the future or what’s happening in the world. The small victory at the climbing wall was just the latest step and a small picture of my journey of growing in confidence.