It takes 6 months to 1 year to feel comfortable in new surroundings. In Joshua 1:1-9, God prepares Joshua to become Moses’ successor to lead the Israelites from the desert into the Promised Land.
-In Verse 5, God promises to be with them in the new land, and that no one will will be able to stand against them. God is with you when you move to a new place, a new home, a new Bible talk or a new region. In that new place, you will find a new role.
-In Verses 6-9, God tells them to over and over to be strong and courageous. He is with us and we do not need to be afraid or discouraged, because he will be with us wherever we go.
*Think of a time in your life when you felt your worst – depressed, anxious or lonely. If you’re like most people you probably wanted to stay in bed or veg out n front of the TV. From the outside you may have looked “comfortable’, but you were actually feeling miserable. Now think of a time when you felt most fully alive. Maybe it was your baptism, or you when you became a mom or grandma. Maybe you created something beautiful, accomplished a major goal, or made a life-altering connection with someone. Or maybe you overcame a major health challenge.
The joy you experienced came as a result of taking a risk, pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do, or giving of yourself extravagantly. It took something out of you, and the fulfillment you received in return was all the more valuable because of how uncomfortable you had been along the way.
When your heart is burning and uncomfortable, God may be trying to:
- Have you learn some old ways of thinking or behaving
- Uncover an ungodly character trait in you that He wants to transform
- Raise your sights beyond yourself to others in need
- Push you to become someone capable of much greater responsibility
- Be effective as a disciple
Practicals to becoming comfortable in a new situation:
- Look for people with common interests
- Find a hobby (dance, art, cooking class, jewelry, book club, fitness class)
- Read a book
- Practice self-care. This can fall to the bottom of our ‘to do list’, but is an essential part of getting through the day. Be sure to hold more space for yourself during every day.
by Melanee Castillo