Uncertainty has been a constant battle in the decision making process of whether or not to go on the world race for me. There are always questions running through my mind:
Is this the right time in my life for me to do this?
What will my family think?
Can I really just step out of my life for a year?
How do I justify missing one of my best friends weddings?
$14,300? You want me to raise that? How?
Everyone always says they feel called but what does that really mean?
I’m not special why should I be doing this?
How am I supposed to get ready on time when theres so much to do?
Is this a mistake?
And so many many more. We got to hear from a lot of great people at training camp and the more people I heard from the more I was like there’s no way I can do this? I have no special gifts or qualities about me that would make me useful at all. I can’t do all these things that they are talking about. I’m not strong enough. I am in way over my head here. What am I supposed to do?!? But then, that ever so small voice just says: “You’re right. You aren’t big enough or strong enough. You can’t do this on your own. You weren’t picked from a crowd by this group of people because of your talents. I chose YOU. And I will USE you. Work THROUGH you. You can’t do this alone, but trust in Me, and you will be My hand and My feet to the nations.” To further back this up all you have to do is read John 15: 16-17 it says: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is My command: Love each other.
I know there are a lot of people battling the uncertainty of applying to go on the January race. Having the internal debate about what you are willing to give up. We constantly want to hold on to what we have because it gives us a sense of worth and a sense of comfort. But we are not called to find worth and comfort in things of this world but in the love of Christ. So I challenge you to read this excerpt from Tom Davis’ Red Letters do you have that tug on your heart? If so, stop battling it and apply.
If we’re not careful, we can be consumed by trying to protect what we have. Many of us have been tremendously blessed. Compared to those who live in poverty, Western and developed nations live in unbelievable abundance. Our poor would be considered rich in most countries in the world.
What do I mean by poverty?
Poverty is having very little food to eat.
Poverty is lack of shelter.
Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor.
Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read.
Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water.
Poverty has many faces and none of them is pretty. Consider these difficult-to-comprehend facts: 1.2 billion people are eastimated to live on less than one dollar per day, and almost 3 billion on less than two dollars per day. Do the math: That’s 3.9 billion of the 6.5 billion people who live in our world. Doesn’t it seem ridiculous to you that billions of people are living in poverty? With all our wealth, all our technology, and all our resources, why haven’t we solved this problem? Almost 2.5 million children die every year because of malaria. Hello? We have medicine that kills malaria. It’s cheap. It’s easy to transport. Yet, we aren’t doing what it takes to get the medicine to the people who need it. Here’s a surprising and disturbing truth about poverty that really ticks me off: It’spreventable.
Why don’t we act? Why don’t we choose to make a difference? One reason is because we’re afraid. We spend most of our time trying to protect what we have, fearing what would happen if that went away. When we do this, we become shackled to our possessions. In essence, we limit our range of motion. We can’t reach far enough to offer compassion because our arms are too busy holding all that we own. If, on the other hand, we recognize that what we have is a gift, then we can extend our reach. We discover that we can use a portion of our gift to improve someone else’s life, maybe even to save someone else’s life.
Buildling walls around our possessions and our lives leads to selfishness and hardened hearts. When we live with a “never enough” mentality, life is so overwhelming we couldn’t possibly help someone else. Jesus didn’t have a “never enough” mentality. He lived and breathed a “what can I offer?” mentality. It didn’t matter where he was or what he was doing: He always took the time to help someone in need. It didn’t matter if it was a prostitute, a tax collector, or someone who was demon possessed. Jesus always stopped what he was doing to help. As his people we are called to go and do the same.
