As I sat in church on Sunday, listening to the Swahili and
wondering what they were talking about, all of a sudden I felt a little tug on
my left hand. I looked down to see a little boy holding my hand and smiling
tentatively up at me. I smiled down at him and he gave my hand a little
squeeze. As I looked back at the pastor who was speaking in Swahili, I began to
think about God’s hand. How is God’s hand in my life? How is God’s hand here in
Kenya? How can God’s hand be in those times that are difficult? What about when
things go wrong….is God’s hand in that?
One thing that I have learned on the Race is how God reaches
out and gives us a squeeze when we really need one. Even during times of
struggle or hardship, God is there. As the service continued, I began to think
about how God’s hand has been on my life. I know that I originally came on this
mission trip to reach out to others and serve them and tell them how much God
loves them, but what I did not realize is that this was only a small part of
what God was going to do. The biggest reason why I came on this mission trip is
so that God could teach me how to fully trust Him. I didn’t realize that the
people I would meet would have such a large impact on me -I was here to serve
them, not the other way around! I am learning that God’s hand is in everything,
even the times that are most difficult!
There is a quote by Debi Pearl that really puts this into
perspective and has meant a lot to me this past month on the Race: “Living in
true beauty can require much waiting, much time, much tenacity of spirit. We
must constantly direct our gazes toward the face of God, even in the presence
of longing and sorrow. It is in the waiting that our hearts are enlarged. The
waiting does not diminish us. God does not always rescue us out of a painful
season. You know that he does not always give to us what we so desperately want
when we want it. He is after something much more valuable than our happiness.
Much more substantive than our health. He is restoring and growing in us an
eternal weight of glory. And sometimes…it hurts. But the experience of sorrow
in no way diminishes the joy of living. Rather, it enhances it.”
As the service went on, the
little boy eventually climbed into my lap. I realized that this is just what
God wants to do in your life – to take your hand, give it a squeeze when you
need it, and to climb into your lap and be your everything, just as a little
child is to its mother. Even in those difficult times, do you trust God? Do you
trust the hand that He has in your life? Just remember that, “God is our refuge
and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear
when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalm 46:1-2
