Is God good?
Is God faithful?
It is either true or it is not. And if it is true, it is true in everything. It is true when healing does not happen or finances are not provided or a dream remains unfulfilled. It is true in that moment of seeing a loved one drawing their last breath. It is true when all circumstances suggest otherwise.
Whether or not we are able to see and embrace the truth does not change the truth.
He is good. He is faithful.
But to embrace the truth will change the way we live. It will change our perspective of life and our response to it. Experience will not dictate what we believe; the Word of God will.
How does acknowledgement of this truth of God’s goodness and faithfulness affect my anticipation of the world race? Really, it’s the answer to all my questions and the assurance and confidence to all my misgivings and insecurities. His goodness and faithfulness guarantees provision where there is vision, perfect strength in our weakness, and His kingdom to be advanced and His glory to be revealed through ordinary human beings.
As the upcoming trip draws closer, I continue being challenged to let go of my own agenda, and surrender remains a constant theme. There’s still these petty issues that come up, trying to distract me from my mission commitment. Now as I write about them, I am humored, but it has been a pretty real struggle! I bought my sleeping bag liner and actually felt repulsed at the realization that this may be my blanket for a year. I love fuzzy blankets and that fabric doesn’t even come close. But then, likely I’ll meet people on the race that have no blanket at all. How could I, having so much, even keep it for myself? Taking so little on the race and doing that life for a year may seem like a stretch, but to some I meet, my backpack life very likely won’t be considered simple at all!
I reason with myself, trying to become okay with leaving home, my family and friends, and missing out on all the grand things God plans to do in my town. Trading my apartment for tent housing with spiders and snakes (assumption gleaned from horror blogs I’ve read! LOL!) oh, the arguments I’ve had with myself! Yet in my heart I know there’s nothing I want more out of life than to be spent for the cause of Christ. For that cause to live and to die. If for me right now, that means to leave behind all this I hold dear, I am willing.
And so I GO, not knowing where or how, but knowing the goodness and faithfulness of God, and His unrelenting LOVE. And that is knowing enough. I trust my Father.
