Volunteer, Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ" Colossians 3:23-24

Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone?  I have in the last year told myself I needed to make changes and some of those may be out of my comfort zone. I don’t really have a problem speaking to someone I don’t know, but I do struggle with the actual conversation content with one on one. I have always been better speaking to a group or giving presentations than talking one on one with someone, especially if I don’t know them. I guess I like being prepared, I like knowing where I am going by address, door and even steps familiar. I like knowing a time and not being late when I arrive, sometimes probably too early for some people. I am great at recognizing faces, but horrible at remembering names which probably adds to my discomfort. I like knowing the task and the expectations at the end. So here I go volunteering. There is an excitement that I want to volunteer, but I don’t want to make mistakes or feel out of place when volunteering or what if those I am volunteering for don’t like me. I would have thought by this time in my life I would be past those thoughts, but must admit it is still there. 

But here is what I found: acceptance, friendship and enjoyment.  I volunteered to help one individual that has added such enjoyment in talking with the individual, learning new things, and acceptance in the fact that at first I really didn’t know what was expected of me or how to complete the task. I volunteered in another location; I found patience, friendship and willingness to help me learn. The increasing hope that helps me put faces with names; by adding the frequency of seeing them.

Sometimes things are not as we see them but as we perceive them and until closer review we are missing out in so much more in our lives. Even one step to helping others surprisingly adds to your own life.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven thank you for the many opportunities we have available to help others. Guide us in your chosen path to those we may otherwise skip or look beyond. Help us seek those tasks that we sometimes expect others to complete. Give us the strength, courage, confidence to step forward and use those given skills you have provided us with to do your good work. Bless those that have been before us and are now teaching and guiding us in those good works. Open our eyes to see the acceptance, friendship, patience and love in others that we so often judge to avoid. Thank you for the many blessings from above. Amen.

Lori Hood