While sitting at my desk, gathering my thoughts in preparation to write this month's Empowering Thought E- Letter to all my ministry partners, the spirit of God spoke these words, "Comfort is the cost of Covenant." When He said it, I stopped what I was doing and, for a few moments, just sat there and meditated on what I'd heard. So, being the student of words that I am, I immediately began to research the meaning of three operative words: Comfort, Cost, and Covenant.
-Comfort- (etymological breakdown) c. 1200, "feeling of relief in affliction or sorrow; solace, consolation" (as still in take comfort); also "source of alleviation or relief; (dictionary definition) a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain.
Cost- (etymological breakdown) c. 1200, "price, value," from Old French cost "cost, outlay, expenditure;
Covenant- c. 1300, covenaunt, "mutual compact to do or not do something, a contract," from Old French covenant, covenant "agreement, pact, promise."
Whether intentional or unintentional, who hasn't broken a covenant (promise) for whatever reason in their lifetime? I'd venture to say everyone reading this has. Well, have you ever inquired of yourself what was the root cause of your inability or blatant refusal to fulfill your portion of what was agreed? Despite the details surrounding covenant or type thereof (marital, business, or verbal agreement of some sort), most find themselves searching for a loophole because they're unwilling to pay the cost of being in covenant. What many fail to realize is that if it's legitimate and authentic, covenant inconveniences.
The covenant made between God and Abram required that he leave what was familiar. The covenant between God, Daniel, and the three Hebrew boys (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) threatened their very lives. And lest we forget, Jesus disciples, who left families and successful businesses for the sake of covenant. Often, we rejoice prematurely over the benefits of promise, not doing our due diligence in learning the comforts required and the pain that would be experienced.
(Reference Luke 14:28-33)
So, understand that covenant relationship isn't for the timid, faint-hearted, or the self-centered, but rather for those who view the cost of covenant as an investment, not an inconvenience, that, in time, will yield significant dividends. Remember, "Comfort is the cost of Covenant."