Running Toward Familiar

By Jenny Harrison

Change is a good thing as long as I don’t have to do anything different.
~~ Unknown

20130925_02In my profession, I’ve seen it at least a hundred times. Women will make great strides at overcoming a life of abuse by their spouse and when their situation appears to be stable and healthy, the unthinkable happens—they return to their life of oppression. They don’t walk back—they RUN!  There are numerous ways in which each of these women rationalizes her decision but the bottom line is, it’s familiar.

I don’t live with nor can I relate to this turmoil in my loving relationship of twenty-nine years with my husband. While my childhood was unstable and unsettling, as an adult I do not live in fear of abuse day in and day out.

However, through self observation and evaluation, I have noticed I have the same tendency to run toward the familiar, especially when I am being challenged by my Lord to have faith, take His hand, and step out of my comfort zone. I, like the women mentioned earlier have an abundance of rationalizations. The list is endless.

Odd as it may sound, we find comfort in the familiar, even if it has the potential of damaging us physically, emotionally, or spiritually. That is the power of the fear of the unknown!

I have been reading a book by Steven Furtick titled GREATER: Dream Bigger. Start Smaller. Ignite God’s Vision for Your Life. The following is a quote from his book:

“It shouldn’t freak you out to realize that God’s eyes are on you. Because He doesn’t see you through eyes of disapproval or disappointment. His presence is not a sign of condemnation. It’s actually an invitation. God is present with you, through His Holy Spirit, because He intends to uproot you from the tyranny of the familiar, shatter the monotonous life you’ve had. And take you on an adventure.”

20130804_02aPrecious Lord and Savior, I come to you today confessing my lack of faith. More than once, you have tried to rescue me from the tyranny of the familiar and many a time I have blazed a path back to the monotonous. When will I realize that nothing in my life depends on my limited ability or knowledge? My strength comes from You alone. As daughters of the King of Kings, help each of us to know, without a doubt, we were never meant to spend our lives in fear and mediocrity but in the abundance and glory only You can provide. In Your most precious name I pray, Amen.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

Copyright © 2013, Jenny Harrison, all rights reserved, Breath of Life Women’s Ministries. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)Copyright © 2001 by Crossway,a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007. Excerpt from GREATER: Dream Bigger. Start Smaller. Ignite God’s Vision for Your Life by Steven Furtick.

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