We hear time and time again before leaving on the World Race how much abandonment will play an integral role in our growth during this journey. We are called to leave our jobs, families, friends, and everything we hold dear in the United States to pack our entire lives into a backpack. We will abandon the securities of our jobs and our comfort zones to step out faithfully onto the mission field to answer the call of God on our lives. We are called to leave behind our expectations for what this year would look like, to relinquish control of our day-to-day experiences.
But as expected, we experience the unexpected. And sometimes God shows us other ways of growing in Him that we didn’t even think we needed. He is sweet and patient with us, despite all of the areas that we consistently fall short. And this week in India, He has done just that with my calloused heart.
I was challenged by my teammate Karissa last night in how I journal and talk to God. She implored me to journal with no reservations, no inhibitions. To write out all of my thoughts, prayers, frustrations, and hurts to the Lord. Even the really messy ones that I would never speak out loud. BUT, to not leave it as just that. To let the Lord speak His truth over those hurts and pains. To allow Him room to breathe life into the areas of my life that the enemy wants only death.
This morning during my time with Jesus I read Jeremiah 2. The entire chapter is all about Israel’s unfaithfulness, and how they exchanged the God of the Universe for worthless idols. And the Lord prompted me to write out all of the things that I run after in place of Him.
Just a few that made the list:
-approval of people
-being well-liked
-taking control of my day-to-day decisions
And the Lord was so sweet in what He reminded me of. He told me that He doesn’t ask me to abandon those things for His sake because He wants to punish me or deprive me of something.
“You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” -Psalm 16:2
He reminded me that He asks me to abandon those things because He knows that they don’t bring life. He knows that the pleasure that comes from these things are fleeting. They don’t last! And He wants me to choose Him because He doesn’t deprive His children. He has good in store for me. Joy in store for me. And lasting, eternal, never-ending joy and fulfillment only comes from Him.
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” -John 14:6
And I have the choice to daily decide if I am going to seek the approval of people, desire being well-liked over honoring the Lord, or if I will choose seeking His face, just for the sake of who He is. I have the choice of whether or not I will be dictated by my environment, my natural tendencies (which is always to sin). I have the opportunity everyday to choose Jesus over my flesh. The decision is up to me. But today, I choose to abandon me.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” -Mark 12:30
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” -Philippians 3:8
