I was talking with one of my squad-mates about my time in Thailand and she asked me which word I would use to describe my experience at our ministry site, Khoadee Children’s Home. I thought about it for a minute, then gave my answer.
Persistence.
My team spent the month persevering through challenge after challenge, and constantly seeking the Lord’s encouragement of why He had us there. We battled spiritual warfare, rejection from the children at Khoadee, cultural barriers, and the difficulties that come with being a new team. As we struggled through each obstacle, we found out what it meant to be persistent in so many areas of our walk with the Lord. We were persistent in seeking out the children, we were persistent in learning how to respect the culture, we were persistent in trusting in the Lord, we were persistent in our prayers, we were persistent in turning to the Lord for our comfort.
When I think back to last month, I remember how difficult things were for us, especially when it came to developing relationships with the children. We experienced rejection several times a day, which left us broken hearted and wanting to give up. But we knew the Lord was calling us to be persistent.
I realize that the Lord never promised us easy when He called us to the race. And He certainly didn’t promise that people would love, or even like us everywhere we went. But He did promise to constantly love us and provide us with comfort.
Thinking back to our struggles developing relationships with the children at Khoadee I am reminded of how persistent the Lord has been in my life. He is always persistent in seeking us, as sinful humans, out. There are times in my life when I think back to hearing the Lord’s call and rejecting Him, perusing my own selfish ambitions instead. But the Lord was persistent, He continued to love me and call my name.
One reason for me being on the race is to share the love of God. Therefore, if God has been persistent in His love for me and constantly sought me out through my rejection, shouldn’t I also be persistent in my love for the people I meet no matter how many times I am rejected?
Caitlyn
