One night, my team and I were doing feedback in one of
the rooms. Feedback is something that we do every night and it’s just a time to
spend together to talk about our day and give one another feedback, positive or
constructive about what we see in each other. It usually lasts from 30 minutes
to an hour or more depending on what we observed that day. I was sitting with
my back against the wall and I had to keep moving because I was so
uncomfortable. The whole time I was grumbling
to myself and to the Lord. As I was moving one time, I noticed something out of
the corner of my eye, a huge spider right between Nicole and I. It was almost right by her arm. Had I not been uncomfortable and moving I
wouldn’t have seen the spider. I believe God really used this moment to make me
think about how God brings good things out of our discomfort.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For
our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far
outweighs them all
A few nights later, during feedback, I
admitted to my team that I do not like praying in front of people (I know not
something you would expect from a missionary). It makes me uncomfortable and I always judge other peoples prayers
against my own, saying that theirs always sounds more eloquent and put together
than mine. Of course, once you admit
something, you will usually be put into that situation more and more. The first time that I went on a home visit it
was to a little boy named Daniel, who had been badly burned several months
before. His burns had mostly healed, but
there was one wound underneath his arm that was not healing and he would have
to have further surgery on it. Bro. Mark
(our missionary contact) asked Daniel to pick one of us to pray over him, guess
who he chose? Yep, he wanted me to pray for healing and protection over him,
and of course I did. Last night during feedback, one of my teammates told me
that she appreciates that I am choosing to make myself uncomfortable by offering
to pray for the team. I knew that coming
on this journey would obviously make me overcome this insecurity, and I’m so
glad that it already is.
Romans 5:3 We rejoice in
our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope
