Recently I was with a group of men, and before we really got into the planned discussion, this question was raised: What do you want to get out of this time?
A young Jewish agnostic man said, “I want to be made uncomfortable.” His answer literally shook me. Did I hear what I thought I heard? He was with a group of men who believed there is a God and most, if not all of them, would say that they have a relationship with Him. But he was the one who had a pressing desire for challenge.
He is an amazing young man. My immediate thought was, “May his tribe increase!”
Maybe that is why you are struggling in life, even spiritually.
How comfortable is your life?
Michael Easter in his book, The Comfort Crisis, says he believes that perhaps we are too comfortable for our own good. Our excessive comfort can have unintended consequences on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The book addresses the importance of ditching unnecessary comforts in our life. These comforts may appear to help us carry on with our days more easily, but in fact, they strip us of our happiness. In a world where all necessary resources are one fingertip away, we need challenge and motivation. Modern conveniences strip us of the natural hardships our bodies and minds need, leading to physical decline and mental stagnation. To thrive, we must proactively reintroduce controlled discomfort into our lives.
Easter argues that embracing discomfort – through physical challenges, environmental extremes, and mental discipline – can lead to greater resilience, creativity, and satisfaction in life and protect our physical and mental health.
He writes, “It is an interesting paradox. Despite the fact that people today are rarely alone, we are increasingly lonely.” We have become uncomfortable with solitude. That’s a problem. You can learn a lot about yourself if you spend time alone, and you must know yourself well. Easter argues that our discomfort with solitude comes from the society’s idea of solitude as punishment. We are aware that God said it is not good for humans to be alone, but he meant permanent aloneness, not the embracing of solitude. We need solitude. Jesus Himself often withdrew from the crowds for solitude.
Building our capacity to be alone can make interactions with other people richer and more meaningful.
Easter also discusses the concept of boredom, something we truly dislike to experience or hear others declare. But he says, “Boredom is not a bad thing. Without boredom, we are reaching new crisis levels of mental fatigue.” He goes on to explain that our overstimulated selves need to rediscover boredom, ideally outdoors. Boredom pushes us to be creative to counter it. It calls us to be curious. Stepping away from the constant noise of modern life – social media, emails, and notifications – can help us refresh and recalibrate. Boredom and solitude, especially in nature, can foster deep reflection and new clarity, allowing us to reconnect with our goals and values that have gotten lost or muted by our busy, distracted lives. Easter informs, “As a practice, it is useful to schedule regular periods of uninterrupted solitude, even if it’s just an hour or two, to reflect and recharge.”
As I considered his words, they reminded me of the call of Jesus. Maybe there is more to the invitation of Jesus to follow Him, more that is intended to rebuild, refresh, and restore us. “If anyone wants to follow me, he must take up his cross and deny himself."
Think about it.