After traveling to fourteen countries in the last year I can tell you this with certainty: every culture is different.
Sometimes, often times actually, different is beautiful. But sometimes different is hard and uncomfortable. Especially traveling long term.
There have been many times on the Race where I have found myself missing my own bed, hot showers, air conditioning, freedom to go where I want when I want to go, normal foods, cold drinking water, or any other number of things from home. And as the Race has gone on those moments have seemed to increase.
Think about it in terms of an actual race. When it starts you are fresh, full of energy, and excited. As it goes you find a pace that works well for you and you find your stride. But as you near the end, as your energy flags, you begin to tire and your body cannot do what it did at the beginning of the race without a huge effort. You are faced with a few options.
Option A: Slow down. Start coasting to conserve energy, knowing you won’t finish well but you’ll feel better in the moment.
Option B: Maintain the same pace. You know the race won’t last too much longer and you will feel better long term knowing you didn’t give up just to feel better in the moment.
Option C: Speed up. You can stop and rest when you cross the finish line and running faster will help you to finish stronger.
Looking at it from the outside, of course “Option C” looks better. But here’s the thing about speeding up: it doesn’t feel good. It’s difficult and it can make me feel weak when I try and fail.
But usually when I fail it’s because I was trying to do things on my own. Paul understood how it was supposed to work though.
“So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10 NLT
My response when I am faced with trials, with struggles, with my own weakness, should be to turn to God to see His strength take over. To look past my circumstances to Christ.
Too often though, I find myself unable to lift my eyes that high. I can’t move my eyes past my immediate troubles and I begin to do something very childish.
I complain.
God has shown me a lot in the past few years about the power of my words but I’m still learning how to live out the truths He is showing me.
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21
We are created in the image of God. Of God who created us and everything else with His words.
“God said” and life began.
The tongue can bring death or life. As we sow, we will reap. God sows life and He reaps it abundantly in the form of creation.
When times get tough we have two choices.
Option A: Complain. We will reap and sow death.
Option B: Speak words of life. See our lives take turns for the better, just from the words we speak.
I may not be creating universes with my words, but I am creating my universe.
I’m going to make it a good one.
