In the past weeks since I was accepted to the World Race, I’ve been spending time reading Racer blogs and watching videos from the field, researching travel tips and country information, and generally learning everything I can about the places I will be serving in during this year of ministry. I have also been reading books about missions and working on some fundraising ideas. In some ways the World Race is on the forefront of my mind.
At the same time, our launch date is still nine months away. That’s a long time! There’s only so much preparation I can do to fill the longing in my heart that anticipates the adventure, growth, and experiences that are to come. In these circumstances, the lack of control I am experiencing can bring feelings of impatience, anxiety, and even discontentment.
I’ve been reflecting on the verse Ephesians 4:1: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. The following verses explain how to go about living a worthy and righteous life among our brothers and sisters, but that first verse itself strikes me. Each of us have been called by the Lord for a certain task. Sometimes that task is to patiently wait, even in trials and uncertainty.
Knowing that I’ve been called to the World Race, my task is to live in a manner worthy of this calling. To me, that means several things: working on fundraising, loving my friends well, being physically and financially disciplined, preparing for the WR through research, working hard to do my job well, communicating with God often, and spending as much time as possible with my family.
You will notice that this list includes practices that influence relational, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health; hopefully by giving time and attention to each one, I am preparing myself well for the World Race by learning how to be healthy in all areas of my life, seen and unseen.
It can be challenging to do a good job at each of these things. One or more of them tends to be neglected. They are all important, though, so I continue to strive to keep them all in focus and devote them to prayer and practice.
Have you ever been in a stage of life where God asked you to wait? What verses helped you through it?
