Leading up to my launch for the WR I was stoked to take a year off distancing myself from comfort, experiencing God through new cultures, and having tons of quiet times just me and the Big Man. The first and second desires were fulfilled naturally as I traveled, but the third desire has taken more devotion and intentionality than I first predicted.
Before the Race, I held onto the misconception that being a missionary, automatically equated to having great one on one moments with God. In my mind these times would come easily, and I wouldn’t have to struggle to place God as my top priority because He would be my focus all day, every day.
Although this lesson seems elementary, it is the simple lessons God is re-teaching me this year.
In reality, these challenges and situations are quiet similar to ones I faced back home. Being In Japan doesn’t make waking up early to spend time with God any easier. There are several instances throughout the day in which I struggle to choose joy and patience over frustration and disappointment…just like in the US.
The epiphany surrounding these thoughts, however, came to me during a service I recently attended at Crossroad church in Nishinomiya. In life, we will always have the option to choose things of high value or low value. In the moment, the things of low value may come easy or be more desirable. Don’t be tempted to exchange the two; their satisfaction does not last as long as their high value alternatives.
That Sunday, the value hierarchy of life was clearly presented to us as:
God > Life & Relationships > Body & Healthy > Money > Food & Conveniences > Clothes & Material Things
- God > Money
- Life & Relationships > Food & Conveniences
- Body & Health > Clothes & Material Things
After reflection on the lesson that Sunday, I confess I was putting less thought and effort into making God my number one priority. I assumed this order would come naturally to me within the World Race experience, and I was wrong.
In life we need to fight, continually, to keep our hierarchy of values in order. Don’t assume having God as your first priority will always be an easy thing to do. Some days you will struggle, and some days you might not want to keep Him in that first position. However, holding fast to our eternal perspective as Christians, I know making the conscious choice to choose the things of higher value will bring treasures in heaven and a satisfaction that truly satisfies.
“Let other things come and go as they may, let other people criticize as they will, but never allow anything to obscure the life that is hid with Christ in God.” –Oswald Chambers
