It had been about seven weeks since I arrived stateside from my trip around the world. Looking back, the World Race wasn’t easy. But if I could look back and say, “That was easy.” could I honestly say it was worth it? I don’t think so. If I am to live a life of victory, then I must have some sort of difficulty to overcome along the way. Great achievements are great because of their difficulty, not their ease, and I want to look back at the end of my life and say, what a great accomplishment. The apostle Paul said it well at the end of his life: “The Lord will rescue me from every form of evil and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Returning home from the Race, I was welcomed by family, friends and difficulties. I’d have to say that leaving for a year didn’t mean it would be easy to return, quite the opposite. My car had been smashed by a tree thanks to hurricane Sandy. My license had been suspended thanks to the state of Virginia. I bought a new car, but messed up the title paperwork. And my back hasn’t been right since that last day Nepal when we loaded all those packs into those vans. In addition, it’s not easy to transition from living in 24/7 community to my life as I know it in America! In case you didn’t notice, I have forgotten the exhortation to “give thanks in everything, rejoice always, pray without ceasing.”
Well, I am happy to report that I have my license back, the paperwork for the car is complete, I have a new job, a place to live and a wonderful new community in place for me. One thing I’m learning over again is that God is faithful in my difficulties. I’m also learning that I get far better than I deserve. For instance, one of my new coworkers got me a personal chair to sit in and a fan to keep me cool while I was working on some wiring. Very nice. And again, I was working today in an aircraft out in the sun (can you say oven?) and another one of my coworkers brought me a cup of ice-cold gatorade, an extension cord with a fan, AND offered to remove that pesky pilot’s chair that was in my way! (You had to be there.)
I feel like the Israelites getting quail rained down on them after they complained, or Jonah getting a personal shady-tree after HE complained. After all the difficulties, which weren’t such pitfalls after all, God is bringing me safely into his heavenly kingdom… But not before a few more difficulties I’m sure. Maybe this time I’ll be wise enough to rejoice in them.
