Is there freedom beyond our comfort zone?

Scripture reading: Judges 6-8 

My daughter learned to ride a bike last summer. This was a process that as a parent, took patience and lots of coaxing. You see, she was totally comfortable NOT riding her bike. Not riding her bike meant she didn’t have to experience the pain of falling off like she had witnessed happen to others. My husband and I sat her down and talked to her about the need to know how to ride, and all the fun she would have after she faced this fear. She gave us lots of reasons as to why she shouldn’t, and asked lots of questions to be certain that what we said was true. We talked her through each one promising never to let go of the bike until she was ready. I imagine Gideon when I reflect on this memory, God was patient as he called Gideon to battle. Gideon wanted to be confident that this was what God wanted so he laid that fleece out, and prayed that if God was really speaking that the next morning the dew would fall on the fleece, and not the ground. That next morning the fleece was wet, so much so that when he wrung it out the water filled a bowl, and the ground was dry. Yet that wasn’t enough – Gideon says to God (in my own words) ‘God don’t be mad! But could you prove yourself one more time?’ As if the wet fleece wasn’t enough proof, Gideon asks God to show him one more time, ‘If you are really speaking to me God, can you make it so the fleece is dry and the ground is wet from dew in the morning?’ Our faithful and patient God answered his request and as we read in scripture, God leads Gideon victoriously through battle, and Israel to freedom from the Midianites.
I think on this story, and I think of my daughter learning to ride her bike. I imagine there to be lots of similarities when it comes to God pulling us from our comfort zone. He sees the good, and what lies on the other side of what He has called us to do, yet we, the child are gripped with fear of the unknown, and the impossibility in front of us and the thought that we may in fact experience pain through the process. 
We worked with my daughter all day slow and steady talking her through each fear and wiping the tears of frustration as they streamed down her face. By the end of the day our girl was triumphant. She allowed me let go of her bike, she rode that bike with a beaming smile spread across her beautiful face, proclaiming she felt so FREE and we stood back just as I imagine God doing when we emerge from the situation He has been pushing us through, arms folded across His chest, smiling wide and full of pride for His child thinking, ‘I knew they could do it.’ 
We all go through these situations, God beckons us to crawl from our comfort zone into something new and good for us, His word says that His ways are higher than ours. Just like Gideon we have to come to a point of faith, and go, trusting Him. Just like my daughter learning to ride her bike, and my husband and I encouraging her along the way, God stands there right beside us doing the same. His Word says we are not alone, but acknowledging that truth is left to us. I challenge you today to accept the call God has placed on your life and experience the freedom he is drawing you to and take with you 2 Timonthy 1:7:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Meditate on these words and remember Gideon, and the victory God brought through him and realize that just as God was faithful to Gideon, He will be faithful to you, you just have to…Choose Him.