I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. What I want to do, where I want to do it, who I want to do it with. The more I think about this stuff, though, the more I’m confronted with a tension I don’t know how to manage. I think there are 2 major camps for approaching this tension.

Comfort Zone Camp

• The best way to serve God is by stepping out of your comfort zone.

Find Your Gifts Camp

• The best way to serve God is by doing what God has wired you to do.

So here’s the tension: Is the fact that I love something a clue as to how God wants to use me… or is the fact that I don’t enjoy something a clue as to how God wants to show His power in my weakness?

Here’s how this plays out:

• If I love living in City A but hate living in City B, which one do I live in?
• If I love doing gift A but hate doing gift B, which one do I do?

Obviously it’s not a black and white tension, and there is wisdom in both camps. I don’t think God expects me to know exactly what He wants me to do, so I’m not asking how to ‘know His will’ as much as I’m asking for guidance in making decisions that put me in the best position to serve Him and honor Him.

What do you think? How do you manage the tension? What camp do you tend to lean towards? How would you advise discerning when to go with what camp?