Ephesians 3:17b-19 – And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (NIV)

We all noticed that Frank, my horse, had been coming out of the barn less and less. He needed to be moved out of his comfort zone, so I put a lead rope on his halter and insisted that he move out into the yard. But I realized immediately that something was very wrong. He was walking gingerly, slowly, and painfully. My heart sank as the dreaded word "founder" raced across my mind.

Founder (or laminitis) in horses is a serious condition of the foot that causes extremely painful lameness. In some cases, it may be necessary to put the animal down.

My farrier, Dani, has had a lot of experience with this problem and knew exactly how to reshape the toe of Frank's hooves to take as much pressure as possible off the front of the foot. Obesity is a major cause of founder, and we discovered that Frank had put on a lot of weight. This year's hay crop may have been extremely high in nutrients, so I have reduced his rations. I also started him on a dose of anti-inflammatory drugs. Now, we just have to pray, be consistent in our treatment, and hope that he makes a full recovery.

Sometimes, God needs to move His people out of our comfort zone, too.

As creatures of habit, we often find a routine that we like, and we stick to it. We don't like or want change. We get comfortable as Christians with the way that we think and act, and we are happy to stay that way. But as God's people, He challenges us to keep moving ahead and growing, to keep grasping to understand and know and live out the power of His love, until we are full to overflowing with it. This means change, which can come as we pray and are open to the power of the Holy Spirit, Who is able to teach us and guide us into all truth. Change may reveal a spiritual problem that needs to be addressed so that we may continue to grow and be healthy in Christ.

We may not like God seeking to move us out of our comfort zone any more than Frank did, but remember that whatever God does is always for our good. So, let's co-operate and allow Him to keep moving us forward day by day, that we may live as healthy and full-to-overflowing a Christian life as possible.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You love us enough to seek to move us out of our comfort zone when it becomes necessary. Thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit, Who is able to keep us growing and knowing You more fully as we respond to His gentle nudging and direction. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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