A little more than a year ago, I was in Cambodia on the World Race. Cambodia was the beginning of Asia; the beginning of the last leg of the Race. It was one more month before I got to see my Mama again, just a few weeks before we would get to see our leadership team from the States at debrief, and for me, it was a month that started full of hope.
It was good I had hope, and it was good I had faith, and it was good I had love, because Cambodia ended up being the hardest month I faced on the Race.
I don’t really want to get into the details, so here’s what you need to know:
Cambodia was hard because I faced loneliness.
Cambodia was hard because I faced disappointment.
Cambodia was hard because I made sacrifices – some by choice, others by circumstance.
Cambodia was hard because I didn’t see the fruit of my labor, my prayers, my effort.
Cambodia was hard because it forced me to make a choice every day between resilience and despair.
And looking at it now, a year later, I am so grateful for this month.
Because of Cambodia, I learned that starting and ending everyday with the Lord was a way to beat the loneliness.
Because of Cambodia, I found out that contentment is possible even in the face of disappointment through gratitude.
Because of Cambodia, I discovered the holiness in sacrifice, and the righteousness it cultivates in a person when they choose to walk out those sacrifices instead of resent them.
Because of Cambodia, I learned to trust the process of planting seeds and nurturing them, even if I don’t see a sprout – let alone fruit.
Because of Cambodia, I saw that choosing resilience over despair made me a person of peace, a person of light, a person who lives in the truth that yes, in this world I will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world.
And it’s truly remarkable how God works, isn’t it? In the time it took me to fully process this month and be able to write about it without bitterness or resentment, the Lord was preparing me for this season of quarantine due to Coronavirus–a season where myself and many others are faced with loneliness, disappointment, sacrifice, frustration, and most importantly, the choice between resilience and despair.
Much like Cambodia, my prayer is changing from “Lord, let me get through this, and let it be over soon,” to “Lord, work in me through this, and let it all point back to you.”
My prayer for all of us is that this season of COVID-19 would teach us contentment, holiness, trust, and most of all: resilience.
Stay healthy, stay hopeful.
– ML
