Comfort Zone: Stretching Beyond Your LimitsSampel

In a time when humanitarianism is the “new black,” I often ask myself if we are a generation just looking for another great resumé builder. The other day, as I listened to a song by Hillsong United that I love and know well, God broke my heart in a new way. As I sang the following lyrics to “Hosanna,” he gave me an awareness of the magnitude of culture’s impact on our faith:

I see a generation rising up to take their place with selfless faith...

I couldn't help but think that, for the most part, this seems untrue. As a whole, we are a selfish generation. With practically every company and product on the market vying for our attention and catering to our every desire, it's no surprise that this line of thinking can creep into our faith. We often expect God to fulfill our desires just because he can—because that's the way we want it. We constantly try to pick and choose only the parts of the Bible we want to believe and that don't interfere with our current lifestyles. Carelessly, we act as though God is our personal vending machine.

I'll be the first to admit that as I look back on my faith journey, most of the times I’ve pursued God the hardest were not when I was focused on the needs of others. They were times of personal struggle or moments when I needed something from him. But I don't want to be the kind of person who only goes to God for what I want, and I don't want to be part of a generation that is known for that either. So what should we do? How do we break the cycle? 

Here’s the good news: We don’t have to do it alone. We can link arms as a community to do precisely what God laid out for us to do. I love how The Message depicts Paul’s words in 1 Peter 4:10–11: “Love each other as if your life depended on it,” and we can be a generation known for selflessly caring for those around us... together.

Jamie Cargill
Singles Creative Director