Generally, I really enjoy my life: I have amazing friends (who I’m not sure what I would do without) and a great family. My life is filled with fellowship, which I hold extremely important-we are made to be communal and without it, life can be rough. I enjoy being able to go to the coffee shop whenever I want, sleeping in a comfortable bed, being able to sleep in (a benefit of being unemployed), watching TV, etc. All of these things I hold dear, but should I? Are they really important in the grand scheme of things? Well, friends/fellowship and sleep definitely are but the rest not so much. What is important is that we love those around us, spend time with them and listen to God.
For the past year or so, God has been telling me to go. To where I am not entirely sure, but I believe it is to another country. I had been thinking “but God, I have a boyfriend, friends, a job and I don’t want to leave them. I am comfortable, and thriving in a life filled with bible study and just being around fellow believers. This is what I have always wanted, and this past year I finally got it.” Well, God is slowly stripping my reasons for staying away-this has been an extremely painful experience, but perhaps it is necessary. What good is having all of these things if we are not sharing our experiences with others, not loving them and spreading God’s word?
I believe that being a missionary doesn’t mean we have to go to another country, it is a way we live our every day life. It is living what God has told us to do-love others. It is about building relationships with those around us, showing them who God is. I do not think that I am supposed to be an over-seas missionary for the rest of my life, but I believe that God wants to me to go now to teach me something-to stretch, and make me fully rely on God. I know that wherever I go I will not be able to do it on my own; I am not eloquent nor do I have the knowledge (or memory power) to teach people about the bible. I also do not have the energy to go, go, go. But, with the power of God I can do this. Philippians 4:13 says “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength I need.” This has been a theme verse for me for most of my life, but I tend to forget this in every day life.
I am tired of doing nothing, of being complacent in my life. All my reasons for not listening to God are quite selfish. God can use me, and I am hindering him (not that he can’t use me here)-I can go love people who truly need love, help the helpless, and meet physical needs that may not otherwise be met. I am in an exciting and scary time in my life. All that is holding me back is my fears.
So, I have decided to go on the world race after prayerfully seeking God. I have my fears and doubts about this, but unless God closes a door on me, this is what I will do. It is hard to imagine a year away from home, of being uncomfortable and doing things that are outside of my nature; I will be stretched, broken, weary but all that will cause me to grow in Him. I no longer want to be complacent-so I will go, I will listen. I am scared; terrified is more like it but this is one more step in the pilgrimage that I am on.
For the past year or so, God has been telling me to go. To where I am not entirely sure, but I believe it is to another country. I had been thinking “but God, I have a boyfriend, friends, a job and I don’t want to leave them. I am comfortable, and thriving in a life filled with bible study and just being around fellow believers. This is what I have always wanted, and this past year I finally got it.” Well, God is slowly stripping my reasons for staying away-this has been an extremely painful experience, but perhaps it is necessary. What good is having all of these things if we are not sharing our experiences with others, not loving them and spreading God’s word?
I believe that being a missionary doesn’t mean we have to go to another country, it is a way we live our every day life. It is living what God has told us to do-love others. It is about building relationships with those around us, showing them who God is. I do not think that I am supposed to be an over-seas missionary for the rest of my life, but I believe that God wants to me to go now to teach me something-to stretch, and make me fully rely on God. I know that wherever I go I will not be able to do it on my own; I am not eloquent nor do I have the knowledge (or memory power) to teach people about the bible. I also do not have the energy to go, go, go. But, with the power of God I can do this. Philippians 4:13 says “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength I need.” This has been a theme verse for me for most of my life, but I tend to forget this in every day life.
I am tired of doing nothing, of being complacent in my life. All my reasons for not listening to God are quite selfish. God can use me, and I am hindering him (not that he can’t use me here)-I can go love people who truly need love, help the helpless, and meet physical needs that may not otherwise be met. I am in an exciting and scary time in my life. All that is holding me back is my fears.
