Mark 7:31-36, Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it!
Occasionally when God is about to bless us mightily, He will change our surroundings. He will remove us from our element, just like He took the deaf man so that he could view God’s glory in a less distracted way.
A couple had begun dating. As they were getting to know each other, they were getting to a point of much more serious issues in their relationship. It was the beginning of something great, and newfangled, and exciting. They were walking through a county fair and the young man turned to this young lady and began to explain to her his desire for her to know him. He explained his interests were in the great outdoors. He enjoyed mountain climbing, camping, and just being in the wild in general. He wanted to be as far from general city elements as possible. He continued about what all of this meant to him.
As he ended he said, “I guess that is where I most feel life.” “Where is your place? Where do you feel most alive?” She looked around and explained she most enjoyed places like where she was. She loved the sounds and smells of the county fair. The games and the rides were where she felt most free. It was just fun. She was serious.
Isn’t it interesting when we discover our gift is not where we think it is? It might even be disappointing. What happens when our gift is not at the happy place we have thought all of our life? When we become serious in our faith, and seek out our real strengths, we might even find that what we thought we were good at is nothing in comparison to what God can give in terms of talent and joy.
Instead, we might need to leave our comfort zones, and head into a place of uncertainty. Maybe, this is where I need to go to be blessed with the gift God has been waiting to give me all my life. I have often needed to grow in ways some current situations may not allow. Whatever our perceived gift, if we need to grow we will always need to move into God’s presence to do so. If we find ourselves trying to live away from Him, we will be nothing more than clanging brass.
Until God has us out of our places of comfort – and into His realm – we will never see the glory we were created to know. We will remain deaf in world full of Godly sound. We will remain blind in a world full of beauty.