These last few weeks in Tbilisi, Georgia have been at times challenging as well as a great learning experience in how to rest in the lord and just be his son. After the military coup in Turkey we were not allowed to enter due to safety reasons, so we as a team decided to stay back in Georgia and see what God has for us. We came up with many ideas of what we wanted to do/ what we felt like God was calling us to do. For me it felt like we were doing a lot of sitting around doing research. I also had to help plan a whole new debrief spot in a few short days since our location in turkey did not work out. If you know me I don’t like to sit around I like to be active doing as much as possible in the time given. Sitting in wifi cafes pouring over the internet does not bring me life.
I wanted to do as much as I could here in Georgia and I wanted God to provide for us as much as we could handle. I wanted a schedule, that would keep us busy and doing a lot for the kingdom. Well so far he has not come through like I wanted him to (shocker).
There were some great thing that happened as we were just living life. We are staying in a very busy hostel and people are constantly in and out of the hostel, so we have had many opportunities to share why we are traveling the world and the hope/truth we have found in Jesus. We have also met people as we walk the streets doing prayer walks.
View from church were we worshiped.
One night as we were doing a prayer walk and worshiping behind a church on a hill God revealed something very powerful to me. He showed me the verse Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Sometimes doing nothing is doing something when you are doing it with God. It is okay to just sit and be with the Lord and be in his presence he does not require anything of us. Too many times I am like Martha getting distracted by by what I can do for the Lord or the details rather than being with Him. If I am always serving Him I never get to truly have one on one time with Him without some agenda in the background that is keeping me from Him. Jesus says there is only one thing worth worrying about. We should be concerned with Jesus and all else will flow from that.
I get caught up with what will my supporters think, they paid for me to serve the kingdom, not sit around. Missions is a journey though, and apart of that journey is being grown by God and coming to know Him more. If I take the time to sit at God’s feet and become closer to Him which will benefit myself learning what it is like to be His son, so that I may bring more of his children back, that sounds like money well given.
So that is what we did as a team we left the city for a five day backpacking trip to the mountains of Georgia. This was a time to connect with God as well as to my fellow teammates as we left everything behind. We ended up doing a more challenging hike than expected it was about 60 miles with 7,500 feet of elevation gain to a beautiful glacier fed lake. We had plenty of time to talk to each other and God as we hiked. We also had some great time worshiping and hanging out around the fire at night.
Just as Jesus would have to get away to be with his father, we also need the same thing, but even more. If I have an opportunity to just sit and be with God I will take it even if it goes against who I am. God may even be closing doors so that I only have to one option and that is turn and be with Him.
Thank you to all who supported me to be on this journey I could not have done it without your help.
Pictures from the hike
