It’s month 9. The adrenaline has worn off. The novelty of traveling the world has faded. I hate living out of a backpack. I want to burn my clothes because I’m tired of the same 8-9 outfits. It’s tiring not being in one place for more than 3.5 weeks – and then when we do move, having to pack up my entire life….and carry all 40-50lbs on my back. Are we kind of getting the idea?
Don’t get me wrong! I’m having a blast traveling the world, seeing different cultures, and serving God in a wide variety of ways. That hasn’t changed. But my energy level has.
Then month 9 reality hits. We’ll be doing manual labor for 3 weeks in Romania. Our assignment is to prepare a house to be remodeled so the orphanage can move into it and also expand their after school program in the community. Awesome. I love seeing results of my work. But wow, I’m pooped at the end of every day! Tearing up floor, removing pipes, painting ceilings, and removing tiles/tile adhesive takes its toll quickly!
It’s not a unique situation. Even in the US I’d come home from work pooped and ready to seclude myself with a book or movie. What do we do when our energy drops and our passion isn’t lit quite as easily as before? What do we do when the glamor of our ministry fades, or just isn’t there?
We go home. We go home to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Not heaven and not church, but the secret place where we retreat to feel his presence around us. We remind ourselves of the intimate, sacrificial love of the Father and of Jesus. We get giddy and covered in it to the point that our hearts are moved by compassion to serve him.
**Our time with him, our worship, and his presence should move us into a place where we can’t help but be moved into action by who he is.
“Just love others.” I’ve heard this so many times, and often God says this to us when we cry out, “what do we do??” It’s so true, but what does that love look like? Jesus’ love for us was and is active and at work. Out of his love he continually served.
Let the love of Jesus overwhelm us, captivate us, and rock us to the point that we can’t help but let our lives be an outpouring of his love – an outpouring in action, in love, in word, in sacrifice.
Because now all we’re left with is seeking God so that he can move us in love and into action.
