In the words of one of the greatest philosophers of our generation…
“Never Say Never” – Justin Bieber
10 years ago, there’s no way you could’ve convinced me that I’d be doing mission work today.
Scratch that!
1 year ago, you couldn’t have convinced me!
I thought “missionary…ppsshhh…not me. Look Jesus, I’m lying. Missionaries don’t lie. See, I can’t be a missionary.”
I pleaded, “Please, reconsider. I don’t want to be doomed to a life of living in a tent, hand-washing my clothes in a bucket, having every possession I own in book bag, taking cold bucket showers, and battling massive cockroaches (or ants) for the bread that someone gave me because I don’t have money.”
Ministry has NEVER sound appealing to me. And I was going to do everything in my power to prevent it. I would rather be a porcupine breeder.
“Who wants to do ministry in an orphanage? I don’t even like kids!”
I said that and I meant it. And I prayed that even if I went on this journey that God, the man that knows heart inside and out, would not “punish me” by making me spend the night or do ministry in ANY orphanage.
I wish I was kidding but I’m not.
(Note: Although, many squad-mates have participated in various ministries, 6 out of 9 countries, I have worked with kids or lived in an orphanage.)
Here we are…month 9…and my prayers have changed.
There’s nothing that I’d rather do than do mission work with children.
Somehow I became a different person without changing my behavior.
I, honestly, cannot tell you what happened except that Jesus changed my heart. It was like I experienced a spiritual heart transplant.
A few weeks ago, my mother had the opportunity to come see me in Guatemala and experience what I see and do every day. One day we visited the trash dump located in Guatemala City. Within the trash dump you will find families that live and work, literally, in the dump. When the trash collector dumps the trash at the dump site, it is a competition (and in most cases, livelihood) to obtain “the best trash.” It only takes a few minutes before you start to see small kids rummaging through the trash. And this is where my heart breaks.
Long before I arrived in Guatemala, my heart was broken. Broken for kids that had no choice.
Jesus doesn’t just tweak or mend hearts. He changes hearts.
I love looking back at that season (when I didn’t absolutely LOVE kids) because it’s a reminder that Jesus can completely change hearts. And I love that truth because often times, our hearts don’t need to be revived…we just need a brand new one.
A heart of ANGER into a PURE heart. (Psalm 51:10)
A SELFISH heart into a SELFLESS heart.
A GREEDY heart into a GENEROUS heart.
A BROKEN heart into a WHOLE heart.
A MEAN spirited heart into a KIND heart.
AN ABUSED heart into a heart that HEALS.
A LUSTFUL heart into a PURE heart.
Consider this…one day, the Apostle Paul is murdering as many followers of Jesus as he possible can because…well… it was, literally, his job. The next day he was preaching the gospel of Jesus for which he was beaten, stoned, and thrown in prison for.
Think Jesus can’t change you? Think again.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
It’s doesn’t often happen overnight, but if you ask, He’ll trade yours for a better one.
Right now, I’m asking Him to open my eyes wide and continue to give me a heart for the fatherless.
What about you? What kind of heart are you asking for? Additionally, in what areas of life have you seen God change your heart?
