The first thing one of my teammates said when we arrived in Costa Rica was, “Costa Rica is like poor mans America.” At the time I didn’t know how right he was.
Our time in Costa Rica consisted of worship as a team, painting a prison, and spending time with high school students. The country is beautiful, and we were able to travel to a nice beach that wasn’t far away, and watch surf competitions. We even had a Wal-Mart, and a Taco Bell. If you know anything about me, it’s that I LOVE Taco Bell (In college my roommates and I would drop everything for a Taco Bell run at midnight. It was that serious). So why was I feeling so disconnected? My team and I were hanging out, and getting to know one another. We played games together, and we even had a previous racer who helped host us who is super awesome ( Elizabeth you’re incredible) , and we basically had an American style home with an oven and a microwave. A MICROWAVE PEOPLE. And a washer and DRYER!( these things do not happen on the race on a regular basis).
Then it clicked me for me. I was distracted. I had everything I could ever need or want, and I still felt like I was missing the mark. All these things that I didn’t have to worry about in the bush of India, had now come front and center in the city of San Jose. God was now on a back burner. I still read my bible and did the things, but I felt disconnected. Through his patient love, I was able to recognize this quickly and make a choice to pursue him, and fight for him. I had experienced too much with the Father to give into the simple distractions of everyday life. I could chose to be satisfied in the Lord no matter where I was, what I was doing, how I felt, or even what I saw. I didn’t have to allow a world with everything to offer to take my eyes off the creator.
I am by no means perfect at this, or have everything (or a lot of anything) figured out, but I do know that I have the freedom to pursue these things and learn them ( Philippians 4:11-12). I can live by the spirit in which true freedom lies,( 2 Corinthians 3:17) and I can relax and breathe, not allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the world, but challenging myself to step into the path of Jesus, and believe when he says he has overcome the world ( John 16:33).
Costa Rica was a much needed month, and I like to think of it as a preview of what life in America could be like. With A,B, and C fighting for my attention, I have to choose what I want to meditate on. The motions of the world, or the rhythm of the spirit.
Love,
Alisha
