Not to sound narcissistic but I have changed. A year ago I would have said that I had changed for the worse, but now I can honestly say it has truly been for the good of myself and others. For example! For the past twenty minutes, I have looked at the screen of my tablet wondering what to write for this blog. I knew what I wanted to write about but the struggle was real and the writers block was on. “Should I use a quote? Should I use a verse? How in the world should I start this stupid blog about change?” So like any Christian facing a dilemma of such great magnitude, I prayed for some inspiration. A moment later, I received a phone call.
“Hello?”
“Brandon! This is one of the doctors from True Life Medicine (the office of my primary care physician)! Sorry about the last second notice, I know you’re leaving in the next couple days for your trip, but I regret to say that we can’t write you a prescription for your malaria meds.”
ASK THE LORD AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!!!!!!
A year ago, not only would I have been absolutely livid with anger for the last minute notice but I also would have been thrown into a complete and total panic that I would now have to scramble for malaria meds, with me only having a grand total of one day to find them. My world would have imploded at its core, the heavens would break, and my life would be a stressful disaster, the likes of which that would have never been seen or repeated ever again. But then is not now. Today is a different story.
“I understand,” with a smile on my face, “thanks for getting back to me! I really appreciate it and have a good day!” And just like that our conversation was over as if nothing even happened.
When I first heard about The World Race, through my friend in August of 2013, I was in a relationship with the woman I intended to marry and had no interest in being a missionary or sacrificing anything of mine to anyone, including her even if I didn’t know it. I believed that it was my time to pursue what I had wanted all my life and I felt justified and righteous doing it. Little did I know that in two short months, she would not only break up with me to grow in her own faith, but that in another six more, I would finally accept the call God gave me and be accepted onto The World Race and start what has been the most difficultly rewarding experience of my entire life.
I truly find it amazing how much God has changed my heart, mind, and soul this past year. A year ago, I was bitter, selfish, and stale in my faith. There was nothing pushing me forward in my walk in any way, shape, or form, and if there was any sort of shove in the direction of sacrifice, I would dig my feet into the ground and would not allow any sort of necessary growth to occur. However, God has a way about him to get a persons attention. Through caving in the roof, walls, and foundation I constructed to ignore him, God challenged me in a way I could no longer be defiant to.
“You say that you are a Christian but refuse to allow me any sort of way I can use you. You have ignored me far to long and have been prideful in your selfishness. To follow me and be what you claim to pursue, you must act by yielding to me.”
Enter The World Race.
Change is not easy, nor should it be taken lightly. In a day and age where politicians, actors, and the media lobby for it everywhere, the concept of change is still all too foreign even if we think we have it well understood. Sure we want to change what we think does not work, but we ignore the places where change is needed most: Where we think our lives do work.
God is a jealous God. He wants our all, and does not accept mediocrity or staleness in our relationships with him. Sure we are going to screw up, because we are human. But we must have that constantly close and personal relationship with him always. The Bible is filled to the brim with verses detailing Gods desire for what he wants from us:
Psalms 51:17: “A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
Psalms 86:11: “Give me an undivided heart.”
Proverbs 23:26: “My son, give me your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Matthew 22:37: Jesus restates: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…”
When we change in the normal sense of the word, we are changing a habit. To change in Christ is to change us.
For this blog, I will not challenge you, but I will ask you these questions while you reflect on this past year, and to ponder a reference from Richard J. Foster,
What must you change? Where are you denying God? And HOW can you change?
“To be in the presence of God is to change.”
-Richard J. Foster
Thank you all so much for spending time out of what I am sure is a busy day for you to read this. For many of you I will not see you again until I return at the end of November next year, but know that I am praying for you constantly. You are not a lost cause and if you want to change, know that you are certainly capable of it. Know that I pray for you always and that my love for you burns strong. You all are inspirations to me and I cannot wait to see you all again next year. You all make me honored, humbled, and proud to have you in my life. I certainly do not deserve such kindness, love, and support from you all. Please keep strong and fight the good fight.
In our Fathers love
God bless,
Brandon
