Mongolia has been a place where God has reminded me of His constant faithfulness. It’s been a place where I’ve learned that God really does know the desires of my heart…even before I know them. It’s been a place where God has shared more of Himself with me (or maybe he’s helped me become more in-tune/aware of His ways).
I’ve experienced His surprising nature, His provision, His discipline, His deep and perfect love, His continual faithfulness, His expressive heart for me, and learned more about myself in the process!
It’s so true what they say: You don’t know yourself more until you know God more, and you don’t know God more until you know more about yourself. A strange saying that I never felt was entirely true until this month.
Ever since I left India, my heart has been in this weird place of trying to be present with the current ministry I’m in while still listening for deeper confirmation in regards to my call for India. I’ve missed India more than words can truly describe and all I want is to return.
So while I’ve been in Mongolia, God has placed many new missionary couples in my life that have had some connection to India! It’s like God already knew what the condition of my heart would be before I had to say anything (duh) – and every time I run into a missionary here, it’s like God is saying, “See, I do hear your heart-cry for India…I know what you need when you need it. I KNOW you Danielle. Remember, I am faithful and WILL provide for you – just be patient.” And every time that happens, I still remain surprised at the divine encounters of Christ…they always leave me feeling so amazed at God’s perfect timing and soothing ability for my heart!
I don’t know why I am constantly surprised by His faithfulness (probably my doubtful heart), I mean it says He is faithful and good in the Bible – I should believe that when I read it and expect surprises to happen…but then they wouldn’t be surprises anymore and I wouldn’t be as thankful towards Him as I currently am.
Mongolia: The country with the least amount of people but the greatest amount of missionaries (in my experience). I feel like that’s another way of God saying that He can still provide and confirm things when it seems the most hopeless. Seriously, Mongolia was the LAST place I thought God would really break open the floodgates to confirm my call to India and really bring me to a whole new level of trust in Him. He has changed my understanding of His greatness, love, and perfect timing…my faith in Him has deepened more in this month than any other month on the Race. Before I could even speak my desires, He took care of them through other people here. When my heart is at it’s most discouraged state and weakest point, that’s when God moves to prove his great strength.
And every time this happens, one specific verse comes to my mind like a slap in the face: “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘Why did you doubt?'” – Matthew14:31
But then I am reminded of this verse:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made PERFECT in your weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Yeah, I’m a weakling pretty much all the time…but the cool thing is that with Christ, I get to be strong. I get to boast about my weakness knowing that thru Christ, strength will come that no man can match. That’s a pretty big deal if you ask me.
This month has renewed, refined, and rebuilt so much of my heart in Christ thanks to the fact that, as a human, I am weak.
“In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be.” – Amos 9:11
I am thankful for my inconsistencies and weaknesses because that’s where I’ve met Christ the most. He has taught me so much about His greatness and sovereignty thru it!
So boast about those weaknesses you carry: God will reveal Himself in the most personal and intimate ways through them – He will open your heart to the depth of His love for you and you’ll never want anything else after he’s arrested you heart. It’s a painful yet beautiful process of trust and dependance on the One who CAN and WILL carry every part of you.
Let go of those things most precious to your heart and God will end up surprising you with how well he takes care of them for you. Let Him surprise you. He’s good at what He does.
