I’m going to throw this back to when I was at training camp for the World Race. One night we were asked to join small groups and listen to The Lord, asking Him if there was a word or vision for anyone in our group. After spending some time listening, we began to share. A woman from my squad named Molly, whom I hadn’t spent a lot of time with, told me she saw a vision of me and asked to share.
She saw Jesus and me in a really long hallway lined with hundreds of doors. When she saw me in the hallway, she saw that I was frantically searching along the hallway on either side, desperately looking for an open door. She saw that Jesus was holding onto one of my arms, full of joy and excitedly trying to pull me along but I was bracing myself against Him, not making eye contact, completely focused on trying to find an open door.
Molly told me that she thought I was so completely lost in looking for the next “thing” in my life: my next big decision, my next big move, and my next open door. She challenged me to rest and find joy in the hallway WITH Jesus, to stop looking for the open door and to just REST and to be OKAY just being with Jesus in the in-betweens of life, … all of them.
When she shared this with me my eyes welled up with tears; I knew this was from the Lord. The past few years I had been looking and waiting for my next door to open, a door that I would put way too much hope and comfort in. I was challenged by her words from the Lord, challenged to remember that the World Race wasn’t my open door, but a continuation of the hallway and that was OKAY!
Fast forward to my first month, Serbia, on the World Race and I was challenged by my squad leadership and teammates to press into two words:
CONTENTMENT and STEADFASTNESS.
Steadfast: resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of The Lord, knowing that in The Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
“… for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1: 3-4
Contentment: a state of happiness and satisfaction.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Philippians 4:11-12
I’m realizing that the times when I am not steadfast or content are times when I am being overcome by comparing where I am to others. In not remaining steadfast or holding contentment, I’m allowing myself to be completely robbed of the joy found in my current season of life.
I’m learning how to find rest, peace, and contentment, all while being steadfast.
