Comfortable in the Uncomfortable

0:02 Looking at our world from a theological perspective. This is the Theology Central podcast making Theology Central. Good afternoon everyone. It is Tuesday, August the twenty seventh, twenty twenty four. It is currently two twenty four pm Central Time, and I am coming to you live from the Theology Central studio located right here in Abilene, Texas. Now, are there any people out there? Is there anyone who does what I do? I don't know, not in everything, but is there anyone out there who does what I do? In specific situations? Let me explain. Are you one of those people who maybe you're watching a movie, listening to a song, listening to a sermon, are reading a book and a phrase one line will just grab We'll just like reach out, slap you across the face, and you like, man, copy that down, write that down, And all you can think about is that phrase, that line, that lyric, what, whatever the case may be. I when I when I read mini novels, I will go through and just write down a line from a novel like and I'm like, oh that is so good. I love that. And then what could what what? What does that line mean? What could it mean to me? How? How do I understand that, how could I use that line?

1:28 What? In songs? It'll be like one little lyric and I'll be like, wow, I love and that lyric, will that little line in the lyric, that one little lyric in the song, it will just stay with me and it'll be like, well, I could understand it from this perspective, or it can mean this, or I could use it this way or this way or this way or this way or this way or this way or this way. Sometimes it can be in a sermon, someone will just say one line, one little phrase, and I'll be like, oh, that is so good, and I will write that down and then I will just stay with it. And in many cases I will just I will turn that phrase, that line, that lyric, that line in a movie, and it'll just like all of a sudden, I start expanding it and I turn it into this, and I look at it from this perspective and this perspective, and it just I'm I do that. I've been doing that my whole life. I used to have notebooks just filled with lines from a song or a novel or a movie, just and in many cases with no I didn't even add any context, just here's this line, here are these words, and then I may write underneath it all the different ways that impacted me this way, or it made me feel this, or it made me think this, or it made me think that. I don't know if anyone else is like that. I don't know. I don't know if anyone else does the same. There's probably some of you.

2:43 Some of you are like, I don't really care about a specific line in a song or in a movie. But for me, I can be watching a movie and be like, oh, That's why many cases when I watch a movie you have a notebook, you know, with me is because I will just immediately hit pause and rewinding, go what was that line? What was that line? And write it down because it will jump out of me. And it doesn't happen all the time. It doesn't happen all the time. I could watch ten movies and it may not happen just at specific time. It can be whoo or a TV show and it'll be like, wow, that was powerful. Well, today I heard a line and a I guess we'll call it a sermon. It really kind of wasn't a sermon. I don't know what we will call it. Well, I'll explain the context in a minute.

3:27 And at first, when I heard it, I was like, okay, all right. It didn't immediately jump out at me, but it made me. I remembered it. I remembered it, and then I kept thinking about it, and I kept thinking about it, and the line goes something like this, you need to learn you need to embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. You have to learn you have to embrace the idea of being comfortable in the uncomfortable. And when I heard this, I was like, well, okay, maybe. Well then as I started thinking about, well this was this was stated and I guess kind of a sermon. It was kind of an opening I guess opening service for the new school year at Bob Jones University. And my initial concept was, wait a minute, Okay, it's that time of year. You know, it's the new school year. School is in the air, right, So what I what I immediately thought about doing, is like, I'm going to grab the audio from this. There was another presentation given to some students at Bob Jones University, and I grabbed that audio.

4:35 There was a number of things that happened at Bob Jones University and welcome everyone to the new school year. And I'm like, Okay, that's awesome. And so what I wanted to do was going to grab some of the audio and I was going to turn on the microphone and tell everyone, Hey, guys, listen for the Sermon's two point zero app. School is in the air. This is the perfect time to go through the app and find every Bible college, every seminary, every university, every Bible institute, and click follow so all of the new content will show up in your feed. Because I think it's important to listen to all the Bible colleges, all the seminaries, all the universities, because you kind of get an idea what the next generation of Christians are being taught, what is going on, what's being discussed in chapel, what's going on, and you kind of get an idea of where things are going. I'm not saying you get a perfect idea, but I always find it fascinating. I love it. So I'm like, oh, opening Ambassador College on the Sermon's two point o app. They just did a message on two Brothers on canaan Abel for their like opening service for the new school year, and I'm like Okay, Bob Jones had their opening service. There's a number of schools that have already posted stuff, and I'm like, okay, I could tell everyone about this, and that's all I was going to do. I was going to play a little bit of the audio, tell everyone go download, you know, or go follow all of these people on the sermon's two point oh app you know, pay attention. You're going to find some you love. You're gonna find you're not much of a fan of. But guess what you're going to be doing. You're going to be paying attention to what the new generation, that the next generation of Christians are

6:09 learning as they're in Bible, college, seminary, a Christian university, whatever the case is. And I think that that is worth your time, and I think it's worth you listening to a right. So that's all I was going to do. But as I was listening to the Bob Jones opening service, the young man speaking, he's kind of welcoming, hey, freshman, sophomore, junior, seniors, here's what you need to know, and so he gives them a little bit of advice. And one of the advice he gives I think primarily the freshman is this idea of being comfortable in the uncomfortable. Now, I want you to hear him say it yourself right now. The audio is utter trash. In fact, I had to increase this by like I don't even know crazy percentage even to get it as loud as I have it. I should have. In fact, I should have amplified it even more.

7:00 The only problem is I'd already had to because they had music that was like the volume was way up here, and then the talking the volume was way down here, and then they would have this section that would be here, and it was just a total mess. So I had to cut all kinds of stuff, but so the volume, and at that point, if I would have started over, then I would have to edit all of that again then amplify it. So I should have just amplified all of it then cut it. Is what I should have done, but it was hard to know how how to amplify it. So I've done the editing work on it. It needed a lot of editing work. So I think when this comes in, immediately the microphones are all messed up. There's this weird echo. I don't know what's going on. Finally they cut that echoing, and then you have the normal.

7:48 So there's gonna be a little bit of weird sound issues going on, but just ignore that. Hopefully you'll be able to hear this. But listen to when he basically tells these new students to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. Now once I heard, Like I said, when I initially heard the phrase, it did not jump out at me. But I kept giving it. I kept thinking about it and thinking about it and thinking about it, and the next thing you know, I have one, I don't know, five five to seven pages of notes because I kept thinking about the phrase. I kept thinking about it, and well, I've got I'm gonna kind of challenge it a little bit.

8:29 Maybe you can tell me what you think. Right here, we go. Good evening on behalf of the Student Leadership Council. I am honored to welcome you all to the opening exercises of the twenty twenty four or twenty twenty five academics. We are thrilled to have each one of you here tonight. Okay, so the echoing part is over. He's welcoming them the twenty four twenty twenty five welcome. We're all glad that you're here tonight. So I'm assuming this was last last night when this occurred, and it was in my feed today. Now again that volume is cranked as loud as I can get it, so I hope you can hear it. I really do. I apologize, I'm look and that's with me amplifying it artificially. Look at the original volume was so low it can almost barely even hear it, So hopefully this will work all right. But here you go here, Well, let's just listen.

9:28 First, I want to extend a warm welcome to our returning students. To the sophomores, you have thrived during your first year, and now new responsibilities and opportunities await. You carry your enthusiasm with you into this year and see what remarkable things God has in store to the juniors. You are now halfway through your journey here at BJU. You've achieved so much already, so keep up the excellent work and continue pursuing your calling with dedication. To the seniors, congratulations on the diligence you've shown so far. As a class, We've not only learned, loved, and led, but in May we will be leaving. So cherish these last moments and memories that we have with each other. Second, I want to extend a special welcome to the new students of BJU, especially the freshman class of twenty twenty eight. We are beyond excited that you have chosen to begin your journey here at BJU. We are eager to get to know you and to grow alongside you. Freshman year can be daunting as you embark on this brand new adventure, navigating the uncertainties of being in a new place, making new friendships, and adjusting to life at BJU. All of these feelings are normal, and I assure you every one of your classmates is experiencing similar uncertainties, and so to you is

11:01 to embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. I remember sitting in your seat. There you have it. My advice to you is to embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. Embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. Now again, initially it did not I did not give it much thought, but I just kept thinking about it, and so when I came up here, I already told you. My original idea was like, Hey, school is in the air. These schools are are are are in session. Their content is going to be there on the sermon's two point oh app find every university, every Bible college, every seminary, follow them and listen to what's going on. What is the next generation. What is the class of twenty twenty eight learning is? What are the Christian the Christian leaders of twenty twenty eight, the pastors of twenty twenty eight, what are they learning in twenty twenty four, twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven.

11:59 You get the idea. So that's what I was going to do. And I was like, all right, everyone have a great day. But when I sat down, I'm like, but comfortable and the uncomfortable comfortable and the uncomfortable comfortable and the uncomfortable. And then I asked myself this question, where did he get that idea? I wonder where. I mean, those are very specific words, right, very specific words. And in fact, it looks like that he's probably prepared this. I mean, I don't know if he has a manuscript in front of him, but it looks like he's he's going very smoothly through this. So I think he chose those words specifically and brace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. And I'm like, Okay, I can see how that could be, you know, words for the freshman or uncomfortable. I mean, it's a brand new environment. I don't know what's going on. How do I get the glass? Where are my books? Where do I go here? What do I do here? What's the next? Okay? Oh?

12:51 How am I going to get done with all this schoolwork? And how am I going to have a job? And like all those issues. And then once you get past that, if you embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable, then maybe the uncomfortable will become comfortable. And then the next thing you know, you're just going through and you're well, you're having the quote unquote university experience, the college experience. But I wanted to think, okay, so what is the origin of this concept. It's a philosophical concept, comfortable and the uncomfortable. It's a philosophical concept, right, So then I thought, it's philosophical? Is it? Is it Christian? Where does this come from?

13:33 So I started doing a little bit of work. Here's some things that I found the concept of being comfortable in the uncomfortable refers to the idea of finding ease or stability and situations that are inherently challenging, uncertain, or uncomfortable. This phrase encourages individuals to embrace discomfort rather than to avoid it, recognizing that growth often occurs in the most difficult or unfamiliar situations. Now I can see a little bit of that. I could see I could kind of connect this to some biblical concepts, right maybe right now.

14:24 The origins of the concept now here. I had to look up some things because I did not know the origins of the concept. The idea of becoming comfortable in the uncomfortable is deeply rooted in various philosophical and psychological and even spiritual traditions. And I'm like, okay, I knew it was philosophical, right, Psychological makes sense. That's something a counselor may say, Well, I know you're very uncomfortable right now, but you need to embrace being comfortable in the uncomfort. I know that psychological. Philosophical definitely. I was already thinking of once a philosophical tradition that I thought was very much a part of this spiritual traditions. I'm like, oh, so maybe Christianity is going to come into play here. Well, there doesn't appear to be a single origin point. It draws from several key sources, so we may not be able to say this idea embraced being comfortable and the uncomfortable.

15:23 We may not be able to say that is specifically where it began. There are some key sources, and the first one is Stoic philosophy Stoicism. Stoic philosophy, Okay, that makes sense. Stoic philosophy has had a resurgence in the last few years. Stoicism has really become a big thing, So I'm not too shocked that a student would state this. I'm not saying he's influenced specifically by Stoic philosophy, but it's just really kind of had a resurgence lately. Ancient Stoic philosophers now one of their names starts with an E.

16:07 I don't remember how to pronounce it. The other one would be Marcus Aurelius, I remember how to say his emphasized They emphasize the importance of facing hardships with composure and resilience. Okay. Stoicism teaches that by accepting and even in embracing discomfort, we develop inner strength and virtue. So then the question is, hey, students, embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable. Is that biblical or is that stoicism? Does this come from a philosophical tradition or does it come from Christianity? Is it compatible with Christianity? Another source for this concept is Buddhism. Buddhism and mindfulness. Buddhism, there is a concept often translated as suffering discomfort or uh, I can't remember this. There's a third part, dissatisfaction, I think is the concept. But there is a it's my it's a it's the it's the idea of being discomforted, suffering, being dissatisfied the practice of mindfulness encourages individuals to observe their discomfort without judgment, leading to a deeper understanding and

17:40 eventual acceptance of it. So stoicism teaches that accept and embrace discomfort so that you can develop strength and virtue. Virtue. Within Buddhism, you have this idea of it's translated suffering discomfort, and I think it's dissatisfaction. This is a practice of mindfulness encourages individuals to observe your discomfort without judgment. You don't judge it, you just you just observe it. But then you it leads to a deeper understanding and eventual acceptance of the discomfort, the acceptance of the suffering, the acceptance of the dissatisfaction. So embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable.

18:29 But those two concepts seem I was like, well, I'm not so sure, all right, so but do a little bit more work. The concept of embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable suggest that growth often happens at the edges of our comfort zone. By facing uncomfortable situations, whether in personal life, career, or emotional challenges, we can expand our capabilities and build resilience. This can involve confronting fears, tackling new difficult task, or engaging in honest and difficult conversations. And if you go on and listen to him, he basically really is taking this concept hard. Listen, I know again, I don't know, the volume is very low, but listen to what he goes on to say, because he almost embraces that paragraph to the letter.

19:20 Three years ago. I'm sure of what the next day or two might bring as I adapted to new opportunities, new people, and of course that college academics questions like how early do I get to my first class on Wednesday morning? Who do I sit with at the evangelistic services or where do I find my textbooks swirled around in my head? Don't be afraid to seek out answers. Some of your best friendships, as Ashland mentioned the other day, may arise from spontaneous interactions that you have with fellow freshmen. Looking back, some of my closest friends came from opportunities and experiences that took me out of of my comfort zone.

20:01 So embrace the uncomfortable and trust God to guide you, not just at the beginning of this year, but throughout your journey at BJU. Now that sounds literally like that paragraph right that The concept suggests that growth often happens at the edges of our comfort zones. By facing uncomfortable situations, whether in personal life, career emotional challenges, we can expand our capabilities and build resilience. This can involve confronting fears, tackling new and difficult tasks, or engaging in honest and difficult conversations. Hey, that's where in the midst of all of this this good things can come from it. You may develop great friendships, lifelong friendships, and the result in the midst of all of this.

20:43 So it's very much right in line with this philosophical concept. Being comfortable and the uncomfortable also relates to emotional regulation. It involves the ability to manage and process emotions that arise in challenging situations without becoming overwhelmed. This can lead to a better decision making and more effective problem solving. So again, this is a philosophical concept. This philosophical concept has very much been brought into the business world. The business world will tell you this. Even in many cases, even the military is embraced this concept. Right, we would say it in a much more blunt way. I won't go through some of the ways that maybe I heard it in the military. Okay, but the idea is, hey, embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable. It was, but the military is more like, embrace the uncomfortable. Ask for more of it, right, you want that? I apologize there I had to cough, But you get the idea. Now it goes on. More about this concept. In a rapidly changing world, adaptability is a crucial skill. Those who can become comfortable and uncomfortable situations often are better equipped to handle changes.

22:00 Certainty and the unexpected. This adaptability is particularly valued and leadership where unexpected challenges are the norm. Again, this is where this almost translates to business strategy and leadership strategy and leadership training, and again in many military situations as well. So I know this concept existed, but it's very much a philosophical concept. How does this relate to a Christian? Now, he threw in, even though he's primarily promoting the concept of being embracing, being comfortable and the uncomfortable Let God lead you. Now, we could get into whole discussion about that. How exactly do I let God lead me? Like? What do I have to do? And does God send me a text message? Is an inner voice? That? How do I determine if the inner voice is my voice or it's God's voice? And does that not destroy scripture alone?

22:53 If God is leading, guiding somehow communicating with me outside of the Bible. All right, lots of conversations we could have about that, but okay, right. Embracing discomfort is a form of mindfulness that comes from Buddhism, where one stays present and the moment, even when the moment is challenging. This present allows for a deeper connection with the self and others, leading to more authentic and meaningful experiences. All right, So the concept of being comfortable and the uncomfortable is a powerful mindset that can lead to personal growth, resilience, and accountability or adaptability. By embracing discomfort, individuals can learn to navigate life's challenges with greater ease and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. This philosophy is increasingly relevant in a world where changes are uncertain and are constant, making it a valuable tool for both personal and professional development. See that sounds just like leadership training. So this is I'm not in any way criticizing the advice. I'm not criticizing here. What I'm doing is this phrase stood out to me. So I'm just walking through how I process this. I was listening to this and he said embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable, and I just immediate started thinking, well where did this concept come from? And well, Stoicism Buddhism seems to be two major sources of it, two major sources of it. Right, So then I was like, well, what would how would the Bible? Would the Bible embrace this concept or not?

24:19 So I did a little bit more research, and at least according to one source, being comfortable in the uncomfortable is reflected in various teachings of the Bible, though the phrase itself is not directly used. The Bible often encourages believers to embrace challenges, endoor suffering, and find strength in difficult circumstances. Here are a few key takeaways. Now some of these I want to look all of these up, and I'm going to go through some of these quickly, because this would be like a Biblical This would be like almost a Christian or Biblical attempt to say, here's this philosophical c embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. Now, how can we connect this to scripture? So let's see. Well, let's let let him talk a little bit more, and then we'll come back and see how we can connect this to the scriptures.

25:16 As we observe the world around us today, we are reminded of the pervasive sin and destruction in the world. We see it in broken relationships, endless injustices, and the persistent suffering that plagues humanity. Sin, often subtle in its beginnings, can rapidly escalate, distorting and destroying what God intended to be beautiful and good. It's like a. Creeping darkness that overshadows the light, leading to a world filled with pain, confusion, and hopelessness. As we enter the season of college, the world offers countless paths to pursue success, happiness, and fulfillment. However, these pursuits, though tempting, will lead to emptiness rather than true satisfaction. Yet, we as believers, have a profound opportunity to influence and impact the lives of those around us because we possess something the world cannot offer, abundant life. In John ten ten Jesus.

26:23 So he gives the philosophy embrace being comfortable and in uncomfortable situations. Right, he kind of embraces that idea of being comfortable in the uncomfortable. Right, So he kind of goes with that idea. But just even what he said there, remember that last paragraph here that I was reading, This philosophy is increasingly relevant in a world where change and uncertainty are constant. And a roundabout way, he took that kind of concept and said, we are in a world where sin is ever abounding, darkness is everywhere. Now, he though says the reason I guess we can maybe embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable is because we have abundant life.

27:04 And then he goes to John ten ten, all right, maybe, so how could scripture fit into this concept? Well, the Bible frequently calls believers to endure trials and hardships, viewing them as an opportunity for growth and refinement. Now, I want to make sure we really so embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable. I think that's different than enduring enduring trials. I think it's different. Right. The Bible frequently calls believers to endure trials and hardships, viewing them as an opportunity for growth and refinement. Is embracing being comfortable and the uncomfortable is the same thing as enduring? Are they slightly different?

27:53 And James Chapter one, consider it pure joy, my brother and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because let it be known that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may mature and complete, not lacking anything. Now does James one two through four teach the idea of embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable? Or is it saying wait a minute. The way we approach this is we see trials and difficulty as a way of it works in our spiritual journey. Right, the uncomfortable, if we want to call that, the trial is producing perseverance, So it's preserving, it's enduring. Is it simply embracing being comfortable and the uncomfortable, or is it embracing the uncomfortable so that the uncomfortable will move, will will grow us spiritually. Now you could say, well, there, there's not really a difference there. I don't know. I think maybe there is a difference. But we'll we'll, we'll continue on, all right. We also have Tewo Corinthia's twelve ninth.

29:01 My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. Well, I don't know. Is that embracing being comfortable and the uncomfortable? I think here this is more embracing the fact my weakness is where God can work because my weakness humbles me, and my weakness is an opportunity for God to be made powerful, God to be glorified So is that the same thing. I think that's somewhat different. One Peter one six through seven says, and all this you greatly rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer grief and all kinds of trials that have coming to so that the proving genuineness of your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire. So this is the idea of suffering grief. That's first Peter one six through seven.

29:57 That's the idea of seemingly to suffer, not just embracing being comfortable and the uncomfortable. This seems to embrace the suffering, embrace the uncomfortable. The One source quotes Matthew sixteen twenty four through twenty five. Jesus said to his disciples, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Is that saying be comfortable and the uncomfortable? Or is that saying embrace being so uncomfortable that you're literally taking up an instrument of death and dying to yourself. Is it a slightly different focus.

30:37 We have the example of Christ fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith, or the author and finisher of our faith. For the joy set before him. He endured the cross, coming, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Christ endured the cross. See there's again, it's the enduring, not just embracing being comfortable and the uncomfortable. I think the Christianity is more about enduring and embracing the uncomfortable, right, But is that is that the same thing being comfortable and the uncomfortable? Is that embracing the uncomfortable? Is that saying the same thing? I don't know. So then I was like, well, I don't know if those scriptures do they really? Do they? Is it? Is it somewhat different?

31:22 Because I know Stoicism and Buddhism that's a completely that to me is a different philosophical approach to scriptures. So then I had to go to Ai and I asked, AI, is isn't there a difference between Stoicism and Buddhism. Isn't there a difference? And Ai said the Biblical concept tends to emphasize enduring rather than being comfortable and the uncomfortable. The Bible often speaks about perseverance, stests, said, fastness, and enduring trials rather than finding comfort in them. And I was like, Okay, stoicism, snoicism, I think I've been saying it correctly. And Buddhism they have a kind of a different approach to this, that the idea of embracing being comfortable and the uncomfortable is somewhat different. The Bible seems to emphasize enduring rather than becoming comfortable and the uncomfortable.

32:17 The Bible often speaks about perseverance, steadfastness, and enduring trials rather than finding comfort in them. The focus is generally maintaining faith, trusting in God's plan, and seeking his strength in the midst of discomfort, rather than becoming emotionally or mentally comfortable with the discomfort itself. So Ai felt that there was a difference between the two. In fact, Ai gave me key distinctions between endurance versus comfort. The Bible frequently uses languages that emphasizes enduring trials and persevering through hardships. Hebrews twelve one, let us run with perseverance to race marked out for us. James one to twelve. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, and these passages, the focus is continuing the journey, maintaining faith and holding on to hope despite the discomfort, rather than seeking comfort within the trial itself. The Bible emphasizes relying on God's strength rather than one's own ability. All right, we can get to a discussion there. The Bible would focus on the example of Christ. Jesus' life in teachings often highlight enduring suffering and Matthew twenty six point thirty nine. During his prayer, Jesus expressed his discomfort and sorrow, but submits to God's will, showing endurance and obedience even in extreme discomfort. See the idea, wasn't hey be comfortable in it? Embrace being comfort in the uncomfortable. No, embrace the suffering, endure it. The Bible seems to have somewhat of a different focus well. The

33:50 modern concept of being comfortable and the uncomfortable encourages people to mentally and emotionally adjust to discomfort. The Biblical focus is more on enduring discomfort with faith and perseverance, relying on God's strength, looking forward to the eventual relief that that reward that comes from enduring well. The Bible narrative or the Biblical narrative is more about finding the strength, purpose, and hope in God through trials rather than seeking to be at ease within those trials. There seems to be a somewhat distinction. I don't know if you see the distinction or fill the distinction, but I just think there is hey embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable. I don't know. The Bible is more like the uncomfortable. Acknowledge how uncomfortable it is, don't deny it, don't be comfortable in it.

34:37 But you have to endure it. You have to persevere through it. You have to allow it to break you and make you weak because God's strength, God's grace has made perfect in weakness. Like, I think there's a is it not a different concept? So I wanted to continue the conversation Ai, because now I'm like, Okay, I think I'm on to something. I think I'm on to something. So AI said, yes, there is a significant difference with stoicism. I think I said stoicism. I don't know how. I think I was seeing it incorrectly. Now I'm really upset about it. Right, But and how stoicism Buddhism and Christianity approach emotions. So there is a strong difference between Stoicism, Buddhism, and Christianity and how it approaches emotions. And I think this is important, right because the whole concept here is, hey, students, you're going to be feeling all of these emotions. The suggestion is just embrace comfort and being well in being uncomfortable.

35:42 But I think there's a different approach. So let's look at how this Stoicism and Buddhism tend to advocate for a form of emotional detachment or transcendence. Well, Christianity acknowledges emotions and often integrates them into the spiritual journey in a way that affirms their place within the human experience. See, I think Christianity is not a detachment or a transcendence from emotion. Christianity is like I feel this, I acknowledge this. Now I must endure or I must I can lay out a lament and scream my pain or scream my frustration.

36:23 I think Christianity is about embracing the emotion and integrating them into the spiritual journey. Where Stoicism and Buddhism is a detachment. It's a detachment. It's a transcendence from your emotions. It's like, here's those emotions, I'm detached from them. I transcend my emotions, where Christianity is like I feel these emotions now, I'm going to integrate these into my spiritual journey. Stoicism emphasizes the control of emotions through reason. Stoics believe that emotions are particularly negative ones like fear, anger, and graf arise from false judgments and irrational thinking. The Stoic ideals to achieve a state of kind of emotional equilibrium where one is not disturbed by external events. Hey, I'm gonna find myself in an emotional equilibrium so that I am not disturbed by an external events, right, and martial arts.

37:34 When I took a form of Chinese kung fu, it was the idea of centering myself, center myself, let nothing disturbed disturb me. I will be so centered. So we would do things in martia and Chinese kung fu where we're getting ready to spar quote unquote fight, and then they would have this loud like electronic dance music blaring that would try to get you. And you're supposed to center yourself, not to all the music to have any impact on you at all, so that you just see your opponent. You're not going to be jumping and moving to the music. The music is not going to hype you up. You're not moved by the emotional strunning, because in a fight, a lot of times you're moved by your emotions during the fight, right, you got that fight or flight, and well, we were trying to be taught no, no, no, no, you sent to yourself. You don't have fight or flight.

38:22 You're just present and there's someone in front of you, and as they move, you will counter as they move, you will defend as they move. You will then execute an offensive maneuver to remove your opponent, to destroy your opponent, to end your opponent. But you're not moved by the emotion of it, your emotional lists. You transcend the emotion. You detach yourself from the emotion, and so you're not hyped up and you're jumping up and down. You just don't move. You just don't move. You stay still, you're still inwardly, you're still physically, and then you just move at a very purposeful way. That was very a major part of what I learned form of Chinese kung Fu that I was a part of so but is that Christianity.

39:05 That's a Stoic kind of idea and Stoicism, emotions are seen as a response to one's judgments about the world. If one can align their judgment with reason and virtue, they can avoid being controlled by emotions. The goal is not to is not to deny that emotions exist, but to master them so they do not control one's actions. For instance, a Stoic might experience fear, but would strive to not be dominated by it, maintaining calm and rationality instead. So in Stoicism, it's reason over emotion. You master the emotion with your reason. Buddhism, it's transcendence and non attachment. Buddhism teaches that suffering is an inherent part of life, largely due to attachment and desire. Emotions, particularly those tied to desires and aversions, are seen as obstacles to enlightenment.

39:55 The Buddhist path involves cultivating mindfulness and wisdom to recognize and ultimately transcend those emotional attachments. Don't be attached, don't have desire. Detach yourself again. I apologize, had to cough, but that's okay. So Buddhism is this non attachment idea. Buddhism encourages awareness of emotions as they arise, observing them without attachment or identification. You're not attached to them, you're not identified by them. This practice helps in understanding the impermanent nature of emotions and reduces their grip on the individual.

40:41 The ultimate goal is to achieve nirvana, a state where one is free from the cycle of desire, attachment, and the results and the resultants suffering. This often involves a form of emotional detachment, where one is no longer clings to or identifies with an emotional state. So Stoicism and Buddhism are radically different approaches to emotions. Embracing being comfortable in the uncomfortable is more of a Stoic Buddhist idea than I think necessarily a Biblical idea and the scriptures that one may try to attach to the concept, I think more talk about enduring, persevering, accepting the uncomfortable for what it is doing for you, in you, to you, for God's honor and glory. That's a radically different approach. Now, when you compare Christianity to Stoicism and Buddhism, you get something different. Christianity generally approaches emotions as an integral part of the human experience, acknowledging them without necessarily seeing them as an obstacle to spiritual growth. Emotions are not to be denied or detached from, but are to be understood, redeemed, and directed towards a relationship with God. That's why in the Psalms the emotions are yelled out. That's why Job screams out his emotions. That's why ecclesiastes the emotion vanity meaningless, meaningless,

42:17 My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? The emotions are more acknowledged and accepted in Christianity, and it's not about detaching them. It's acknowledging them, redeeming them, as this would say, direct them towards your relationship with God. Allow don't detach or just embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable as have somehow you're denying it. No, it's embracing it and doing something else with it. The life of Jesus Christ serves as a model for how emotions can be experienced without sin. That's the key, and the Christian view is have all the emotions you want, just don't let it lead to sin. Jesus wept at Lazarus two John eleven. He showed righteous anger in the temple Matthew twenty one. He expressed deep sorrow in the garden Matthew twenty six. These exemple exemples show that emotions themselves are not inherently negative. They can be a part of a holy and faithful life. Christianity often teaches that emotions, when aligned with God's will, can be transformative. Sorrow can lead to repentance Tewod Corinthian seven. Joy is a fruit of the spirit Galatians five twenty two. Emotions are seen as vehicles through which one can experience God's presence, comforts, and guidance.

43:36 That's a radically different approach. Christianity does not aim for detachment from emotions, but seeks their redemption. Emotions are brought before God when they can be healed and reoriented. For example, fear can be transformed into trust, and grief can be laid to hope and the resurrection. Stoicism and Buddhism lean towards reduced seeing the influence of emotions through mastery or detachment viewing them as potentially distractions from reason, and that would be stoicism, or obstacles to enlightenment. That would be Buddhism. Christianity, on the other hand, tends to acknowledge the reality and the importance of emotions as part of the human experience.

44:18 Rather than seeking to transcend or deny emotions, Christianity introgates integrates them into the spiritual journey, where they can be redeemed and used for spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. In summary, Stoicism Buddhism might aim for a form of emotional detachment or transcendence. Christianity embraces emotions as a part of the human condition, offering a path where emotions are understood, redeemed, and brought into alignment with God's will. Now, I am, in no way, shape or forms saying that this young person when he says, hey, embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable, is promoting Stoicism or Buddhism. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying he chose the words, so he's influenced by this concept. I just think the concept may be more in line with Stoicism and Buddhism, and I don't know if it's a biblical approach to emotions.

45:06 So the issue would be, well, what would be a biblical approach to emotions when we face the uncomfortable? What is a biblical approach to facing the uncomfortable? What we see the uncomfortable as a possible means to spiritual advancement, spiritual growth? We see the uncomfortable maybe well, if depending on your belief in God's sovereignty and his eternal decrees and providence, He's decreed it and he's worked it in a providence. So in a sense, again we're not embracing comfort. I guess maybe you could work it that way. So I'm going to be comfortable in the uncomfortable because of God's sovereignty. I guess maybe you could work it that way.

45:52 But it's more like I'm going to endure the uncomfortable. I'm going to embrace the uncomfortable because I'm going to see it as an opportunity to to shape me, to mold me, to break me, to humble me, so that then God can be glorified, and then God's grace can in my weakness, God can be made strong, or that in that particular sense, when I am weak. Then I'm strong because I'm relying on God and not on me. This uncomfortable humbles you. Now six weeks later, you're not gonna be so uncomfortable. Now you're gonna think you're on top of the world and you know everything. Remember that uncomfortable feeling, like it would almost be more like you want to embrace this uncomfortable feeling. You want to remember it.

46:34 You want it to lead to a year of humility, because by the third year, you're gonna act like you own the place. Right. I don't know. I see it as somewhat different. Is there a difference? Now? Ai AI connects the concept to Stoicism and Buddhism. Therefore, AI sees then a distinction between Buddhism, Stoicism, and Christianity when it comes to human emotion. So, when it comes to human emotion, do we have a biblical concept of human emotion and how to deal with them? Or have we embraced philosophical psychological ideas that may not be in line with Christian thinking.

47:25 That's really the issue. It's not I'm not criticizing what the student said. He's trying to help the freshman out. Hey, embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable. All right, great, fine, now I've left that. I don't care about that. Now I want to I'm like, thank you for this concept and the opening service. Now let's take this to theology class. Let's take this and really work this out from a thiological perspective, because there's a deeper issue here. How do Christians understand what is the correct theological understanding of human emotion? Because I think in times of my Christian life, I've embraced it more of a Stoic idea, die to self, we die to our emotions. Right, I've almost embraced that concept.

48:10 I've even preached it. Is that biblical though, I've almost embraced a Buddhist idea, die to self. Well, then you don't have any emotions. You you're detached. You know, if you die to self, you don't have any desires. You're dead. So then that's a Buddhist idea. You're you're so detached, you have no desire, You're you're outside of all of that. Well, if you're dead to self, I've almost embraced a Buddhist idea, but I don't. Is Christianity when it says die to self is it embracing a Buddhist understanding of almost a transcendence, a total detachment, and then you can reach enlightenment. Is do have we we embraced a more a Buddhist concept, then we have a Biblical concept. It was a simple phrase, embrace being comfortable and the uncomfortable. The end result is I'm not so sure exactly where we should be on this.

49:22 Something we'll have to talk about at a later time. Thanks to listening, everyone, have a great day. God bless