Have you ever avoided a promotion or a leadership role because it felt more comfortable to stay where you were? You knew you could handle the work in your current spot. Moving forward meant facing unknowns—and who wants that when the routine feels safe?

That was me. I spent years as an ICU nurse, comfortable with my patient assignments. As I gained experience, my manager often asked me to train as a charge nurse. Nope! That’s not me, I told myself. I don’t have any desire to be in any level of management.

Today, I manage a patient transfer center for a major hospital system.

Looking back at my journey, it was scary. I stepped into the unfamiliar. I became vulnerable. My identity changed. But this leap into the unknown propelled me to a position where I have a bigger impact on others. My team and I help sick patients move from rural hospitals to hospitals equipped to care for their needs in an era where beds are often scarce.

Abraham, the founding figure of faith, faced a similar crossroads. He could have stayed with his family, safe in Haran. But God called him to leave it all behind for something larger, something uncertain. The story is more than recounting Abraham’s faith; it’s about the journey God calls all of us into, a journey that challenges us to leave comfort for covenant, to trade our safe zones for growth zones.

Let’s break it down.

Leaving Haran: The Call to Trust Over Comfort

When God first spoke to Abraham (then Abram), his family had already set out toward Canaan. They’d left their original home in Ur, a thriving city with all the comforts they needed, but they’d stopped short in Haran. They’d settled.

Interestingly, Haran is also the name of Abraham’s brother, who died in Ur. Perhaps the familiarity of this name caused the family to put down roots before reaching their destination. False promises of familiarity can lure us away from our goals.

Maybe they figured Haran was “good enough.” Stopping short of Canaan wasn’t the full journey God intended for them. But it did provide the same security a game show contestant receives by taking their current winnings instead of risking it all for the big payout. Sound familiar? How often do we settle for “good enough” because the road to something better seems risky?

Abraham’s call to leave Haran symbolizes the shift from comfort to trust. He had no plan, no Google Maps—just God’s promise. Moving forward meant stepping into unknown territory, relying solely on God.

It’s a journey that asks each of us: What are we holding onto that’s keeping us from experiencing something more?

Babel: When National Pride Leads to Stagnation

Now, let’s rewind to Babel, a place where people clustered together, refusing to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth” as God had commanded. Why? Fear of the unknown. Instead of spreading out, they built a symbol of national pride and self-reliance —a tower reaching skyward. They wanted to “make a name” for themselves without venturing into the world.

It’s easy to see the appeal, right? Life within city walls felt controllable. But God had different plans. He intended humanity to spread, to experience diversity and challenge, not to isolate and idolize their achievements. The Tower of Babel stands as a monument to humanity’s resistance to change, a reminder of how we often settle into comfort zones instead of stepping out in trust.

Think of it this way: God calls you to grow and influence others, so how can you do that hiding in one spot?

Settling never leads to growth. The story of Babel highlights a profound truth—when we focus on protecting what’s familiar, we miss out on the expansive journey God has planned.

Babel: The Dark Tower

This tower also held a dark power. It represented mankind’s attempt to distort God’s image. In the flat lands of Mesopotamia, this tower, or ziggurat, was a man-made sacred mountain. It was a place for the people to pamper the god. If the god was kept happy, he or she would provide for and protect the city.

People began to view their relationship with the divine as transactional rather than intimate.

Why is this a problem? They were worshipping the wrong god anyway. Ideas have a way of working deep into our psyche and affecting the way we view the world. Consider a family who adopts a child rescued from an abusive father. The adopted son is now having behavioral issues. Should the adoptive father begin by cracking down on the rebellious child, ensuring he knows and obeys the rules? No! The adoptive father first starts by establishing a relationship with the child. This will include changing this son’s understanding of the role of a father and how a son relates to a good father.

God’s first challenge in winning back His rebellious creation is to change how we view Him. He must show us the depth of His love and desire to be with us.

The Covenant of the Pieces: A New Kind of Relationship

Fast forward to Genesis 15, where God makes a covenant with Abraham. Picture the scene: animals split in two, a deep darkness falling over the land, and a terrified Abraham. God puts him in a place of complete vulnerability. Yet, He doesn’t leave Abraham in fear. Instead, He walks through the pieces alone, symbolizing that He Himself will bear the weight of the covenant.

In ancient culture, a covenant often meant mutual responsibility—both parties would walk through those pieces. But here, God alone takes on the covenant’s demands. This isn’t a mere contract; it’s a relational commitment where God assures Abraham, “I’m in this with you, all the way.” He’s showing that His relationship with humanity isn’t transactional but deeply personal, designed to ease our fears and provide security even in uncertainty.

This covenant moment prefigures Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, where God fully takes on our burdens. Abraham’s fear reminds us that faith isn’t about figuring everything out. It’s trusting that God will meet us even in the unknown.

Canaan: Where Faith Meets the Real World

God didn’t call Abraham to stay in an isolated corner of the world. He sent him to Canaan, a bustling cultural crossroad that would require Abraham to live out his faith in full view of people with diverse beliefs and values. It’s like being called to share faith in Times Square, where everything is on display, and people from all backgrounds and nationalities pass by.

Canaan wasn’t just a place on a map; it was an ideological battleground for Abraham’s faith and Yahweh’s goodness. Unlike the people at Babel, who hid in a city of uniformity, Abraham had to bring God’s character into a melting pot of ideas. He couldn’t fake it, and he couldn’t retreat into comfort. God’s choice of Canaan for Abraham wasn’t random—it was intentional, pushing him to grow and influence those around him.

And that’s also our calling. Faith isn’t about staying comfortable in private; it’s about stepping into the world’s complexities and navigating it with Biblical wisdom. Abraham’s journey challenges us to take our beliefs into public spaces, to let our light shine where it’s most needed.

Living Out the Call: From Comfort to Covenant

Abraham’s journey from Haran to Canaan was more than a geographical relocation; it was a transformation from comfort to commitment. His life teaches us that real growth requires leaving the familiar, that faith means trusting God to walk through the unknown with us, and that influence happens when we engage openly with the world.

So, ask yourself:

• Where am I staying comfortable instead of answering God’s call to grow?
• What might I need to let go of to experience a deeper relationship with God?
• How can I bring my faith into spaces where others might benefit from it?

Abraham’s story isn’t a relic of the past; it’s a model for our lives today. God calls us out of the familiar and into His promises, urging us to trust, to grow, to share that journey with those around us.

Ready to Step Out?

If you’re feeling nudged to leave your comfort zone, take that first step. Maybe it’s reaching out in your community, deepening your relationship with God, or even exploring an unfamiliar part of Scripture. You don’t have to get there in one day. Aim for 1% better each day. One small step forward will add up quickly. Trust that God’s already walking ahead of you, ready to guide you into something greater than you can imagine. Like Abraham, you’re not alone. And the journey—however challenging—will lead to growth, impact, and a deeper understanding of God’s heart.