Called Beyond Comfort

“This thing is from Me.” – 1 Kings 12:24

Lately, I’ve started feeding the squirrels, birds, and deer around our property, and I’ve come to know their personalities like quirky neighbors. There’s Flicker and Goldie, the twins, shy little Sylvie, and Precious, the timid one. She’s delicate and skittish, often shoved aside by the bolder squirrels. I always try to make sure she gets a few peanuts of her own.

This morning, the deck was still. Just me and Precious. I knelt, holding out a nut, whispering encouragement like any hopeful squirrel-whisperer would. She crept toward me, her eyes fixed on the peanut. I was sure she would come to me today. All at once, she spotted the birdseed that had fallen from the table above—the leftovers from the messy birds and other squirrels. She gave the nut a final longing glance and waddled under the table—the moment was gone.

My heart flinched, somehow knowing she’d made her choice. A quiet sadness settled in. Why would she settle for leftovers when she could have something much better? The question hit hard.

Oh Lord, I thought! That’s me!

I long for the good God holds out to me: connection, purpose, growth. I inch forward like Precious, full of longing . . . but the comfort of what's familiar pulls me back. I settle for the safe things scattered, too afraid of what His best may cost.

It brought this verse to mind—“This thing is from Me.” We often ask why things go wrong—why doors don’t open, why trials show up just as we were finding our rhythm. Why the devastating medical report? Why the contract that fell through? But maybe God’s allowing the hard thing to nudge us off the porch. Perhaps He knows that if the scattering of discarded seeds weren’t there, we’d move toward the treasure in His hand. He offers so much more than we have the courage to take.

Whisper to your heart today:

Where might God be inviting you closer, past the scattered safe places, into something better?