To supplement my semi-vague China blog, I wrote another blog with some real, touchable truths I learned this past month in China.
1. I fell in love with the Bible all over again.
-I’m not sure if it was the romanticism of a forbidden book, or the honeymoon phase I am so graciously in with Papa after 9 months of healing, but man, it had complete new and exuberant life to me. Studying the meanings of each word; appreciating the individual beauty of each definition and then marveling at the collective creativity of all of them together – blew my mind. I also tried the ole’ “application learning” method and rephrased passages in my own words which brought a deep, vibrant hue to the Bible that I haven’t experienced in a while.
2. Comparison is an ugly (and unoriginal) game the enemy loves to play.
No matter what ministry you are doing, or really anything in life, the grass can always be greener on the other side – if you’re looking.
We were in CHINA, for goodness sake. This is the land of milk and honey; the one country which is the sole reason why some people, and a major factor for myself, chose the route we signed up for in this adventure. And I honestly couldn’t have planned a more perfect place to serve or people to serve with.
Yet I would still find myself struggling with contentment and trust when I saw pictures of other teams on our squad climbing mountains in Tibet or roller skating in a park with Chinese friends or watching open heart surgeries that their Chinese-English students (also known as… doctors) were performing.
I had to have a real heart check and funny thing is – so did they.
Some of us talked about it at the end of the month when we were all together, of how we were secretly jealous of each other’s instagram photos for a hot minute, and then stopped to realize where we were and what God had entrusted us with this month – and quickly ate those tasteless thoughts.
It’s funny how easy it is to fall into that trap – and also how evident it is that the devil has no new tricks up his sleeve. He’s been playing this tempting contentment/comparison game for far too long and let’s be honest, it’s old, and unoriginal, and… so out of style.
God is, was, and always will be victorious.
If we focus on things outside of our control, seek to be on the greener side, then we miss the beautiful gifts He has placed right in front of us.
Example A: this view.
I ate breakfast out here some mornings and never realized just how vibrant the trees and colors of fall are around me.
I mean, I saw the green trees and red leaves, but I didn’t see them. You know what I mean?
I missed this little present because I was looking past it, trying to distort my desires when God knows perfectly well which place I needed to be. I’m thankful for God’s grace and kind teachings to realign me with who He wants me to be, and where He can use me the most.
God has a pretty awesome adventure planned every day for us, and ain’t nobody got time for the enemy’s games. I’m happy, present, and very, very content. Thank ya Jesus!
