A Comfortable Life

In this life, both spiritually and materially, we seek comfort.  A few weeks ago, something happened that made me realize that a comfortable life is really possible.  A life of minimal disappointment, struggle and frustration.  I could, if I choose, have a life in which each day would seamlessly merge with the next.  There is a possibility of having a life off of the roller coaster ride that I seem to be on.  One part of me said, “grab it with both hands and hang on” but then the other part of me cried out, “No, don't settle there is more”.  I was astounded that there was even a small part of me that would refuse the comfortable path because I truly desire to be comfortable and sane.  I long for normalcy and routine but there is something I long for with a deeper part of my soul.  I desire an intimacy with God.  An intimacy about which could be written, “God spoke with Cynthia as friend to friend.”  My desire is to be cradled in the arms of my precious savior and I don’t know if I could attain my heart’s desire if I were to just settle for the comfortable path.  If I chose the comfortable path, over the tumultuous one, would I still be able to attain the intimacy with God that only comes through trust and faith?  When we lead a comfortable life, we don’t have a need to trust God because everything is good and provided for us.  When no one is sick, we do not need to have faith because… no one is sick.  Without having the need to trust God for our next moment, without the need to have faith that he will care for our each need, can we really achieve that closeness with him that he desires.  Sure it is nice to get material blessings each day and lead a life of comfort but after a while it is merely an expectation rather than a blessing and we have lost more than we gained.  When we reach the level of being comfortable, we don’t stretch outside of ourselves to attain greater heights or deeper depths.  So when/if I am offered the choice of a comfortable path that is merely in God’s permissive will or a tumultuous path that is lined with tears and prayers but in God’s PERFECT will – I pray that I always choose the tumultuous path.