We’re in India!!! My squad and I have been here for about a week and we arrived at our ministry site yesterday. I am already learning so much (kinda more than I want to learn).
I’ve always been told to live presently, or live in the moment, to not wish moments or time away and to be fully present; and I can honestly say I thought I was pretty good at that. In the States I thought I lived my life pretty in the moment. But oh boy, was I completely wrong. It’s day 5 of the Race and I am being stretched by the Father in more ways than I can count. I like to think that my life is pretty organized, well planned and thought out- there is a certain time and place for everything. Well in India you might as well throw all that organization right out the window. Not to say that Indian people don’t accomplish things because the definitely do. However, their promptness is different- they are definitely a go with the flow type of culture. This has been shown to me in various ways. Your Uber driver may be 20 minutes late or 45 minutes late. Your waiter may come take your order at the table or you may just wanna go to the counter and order yourself. The white lines on the road (I thought) we’re for marking lanes- but for some reason riding in the middle of the white line is the typical norm here.
Yesterday I was telling my teammate that I believe the Lord is stretching me when it comes to living present- teaching me not to always wonder what’s next or even how long our bus ride would actually be (it could’ve ranged from 5 hours to 15 hours). Through this I have to live out each moment in constant communication with Him. He knows the plan- so why do I need to worry about the next thing? This reminds me of Matthew 6:25-34:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
These verses hold so much truth to them. Why should we worry about the small insignificant things when we already know that God will provide them? My worry is always what the next thing is instead of seeking Him first in all things. My worry comes when I don’t have consistency in my life. Being a Racer means there is only one thing that is constant, our Father. We have to press into Him even when we feel like he dropped us off in the villages of India alone and terrified (yes, I’ve felt this way). To press into Him even though I could get on wifi and FaceTime everyone I miss at home instead of digging into the Word- clinging to Him because he is our only true constant in this life. Even though I may not know what tomorrow- heck even tonight, may bring I can’t worry about those things because have to cling to Him who is constant. PEACE
XOXO
Heather
