Recently, Chicken Soup for the Soul solicited its previous contributors to submit a story for one of the series forthcoming anthologies tentatively titled Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone. I didn't think much about it because I couldn't quite recall any important experience of that nature. So much for my willingness and desire for change!
But then something hit the idea center of my brain -- I could write about the promotion I received decades ago when I moved to the corporate office of the company for which I worked.
I really wanted that promotion, and it had been my dream for years to move up the corporate career ladder. And now, it was finally presented to me. I would be responsible for placing our after school programs in public elementary schools, something some of our competitors were already doing. The only drawback was working directly for the vice president of the company.
Being a corporate director was a highly visible and responsible position. If I failed, everyone in the would know it, and not only would I lose my job, but also my career. Conversely, if I succeeded, everyone would know that too. In the end, ambition won out over fear.
To make a long story short, that program didn't prove very successful for the company or for me, but another opportunity took its place. This time, it was the perfect fit and became an actual department which I led for almost 11years. So from all of this I realized: Stepping out of one's comfort zone might result in failure, but that failure might also turn into something better.
And then it occurred to me this was much like stepping out of my comfort zone to talk about my faith. I dare say that it is a difficult task for most all of us. No one wants others to be self conscious around us, or to think we're some kind of zealot to be avoided. But then came another realization -- it gradually becomes easier, just like performing the duties of a new job. "Practice makes perfect" applies just as well when "witnessing" to one's faith.
In talking or writing about my beliefs, I have many reasons for not wanting people to see me as an example. (Now that really does make me feel uncomfortable!) No one should follow what I do; they should follow the one whom I try to follow -- Jesus. My life is simply happier because of that, and that is what people should see.
You'll never hear me confront others and ask them "are you saved?" You'll never hear me push my faith on others, but I won't let my comfort zone prevent me from talking about it when given the right moment. Those moments are not made by me, they're made by God so, in this circumstance, I'm especially glad to have escaped my comfort zone.
