” Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8
Little did I know as drove down I-85 heading towards Gainesville, GA that I was in for a time of trial and pain. I expected the team-building, the lessons on new cultures, the teaching on prayer, and the call to honesty and openness. I even came with the realization that I would be out of my comfort zone most of the time. I didn’t know God was going to destroy the fortress around my heart. Over the course of training, we explored those things in our lives that hurt us at the very core of our being. We were encouraged to dig them up and expose them before the Lord. We spent time actually grieving them, talking about them with prayer counselors and most of all, laying them at the feet of our Savior. God showed me some incredible things about His love through this process. This pain is not the pain that scares me though. He opened up my heart in a whole new terrifying way. He showed me that I am going to be called to take on the pain of others.
I’ve always considered myself to be understanding, empathetic, a good listener and strength for my friends and family. But what God showed me this week is that I have never really learned how to hurt for others. When I see people hurting, I feel for them, I listen to them, I pray for them, and I offer the best, Godly advice I can. I have always kept the pain far enough away where I can see the situation clearly, or so I thought.
But God is saying, “Heather give them your heart.” I reply, “Are you sure God? Do you know what that means?” He says gently, “Yes Heather, trust me. I know.” I reply, “But it will hurt me. It will hurt so much. I don’t know if I can take it.” With His kind patience and steadfast love He says, “I took the pain for you. I took more pain than you will ever know. I gave my very life for you because I love you. Please love them as I have loved you.”
So what I have learned from training is
it’s not about me. Philippians 2:3-4 says “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your interests, but also to the interests of others. ” Why? Because this is the attitude Christ had. He loved us. He knew that love would cause Him pain. He knew that love would cost Him his life. He gave it all. So my prayer for myself and my fellow racers is that we take the very nature of a servant. I pray we humble ourselves and become obediennt to the point of death: the death of our flesh, the death of our fears and doubts, and the death of our desire to be shielded from pain. I pray that we approach each country and each person with the knowledge that we may fully give our hearts to these people, and that in return our hearts will be broken. I pray that we don’t hold back and that we love as Christ loved. And last of all I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for showing me His love in unexpected ways.
