If I’m being real – The World Race hasn’t been easy.
When I signed up for The Race I expected something totally different. I expected the whole thing to be happy-go-lucky. I expected that I’d have very few problems — if any at all. I expected to get along with everyone. I expected everyone else to have their problems figured out. I expected all anyone would want to do would have to do with Jesus. I expected ministry to be joy-filled & exciting all of the time. I expected way too much — I expected a fairy-tale.
But here’s the thing: When everything is going good and you’re constantly having your way – there is not much growth. The Lord produces the most fruit in & through you when you suffer in any way, shape, or form. Suffering is extremely beneficial.
Romans 5:3 – Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
With that said, I’m actually quite thankful that The Race has been challenging. I’m not complaining. I’m just being transparent. I’m glad that The Race hasn’t been the fairy-tale that I had wanted it to be because otherwise it would have not prepared me for living in the real world as a follower of Christ.
I’ve learned that living in community is by no means easy. Living in community requires MUCH grace and MUCH communication. It requires encouraging and edifying others. It requires humility and self-awareness. It requires dying to your flesh over and over and over again.
It requires crazy love.
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Another thing: Not having set ministry on The Race has been very frustrating.
Why?
Because my expectation was that I was going to be building the Kingdom like crazy while on The Race because of all of the ministry that was going to be set up for my team and I to do.
Why else is it frustrating?
Because when my team doesn’t have pre-set ministry for us to do, it leaves us with a lot of free time. And what free time does is test your intentions – it tests how badly you actually want to serve the Lord with your life. You can choose between watching a movie or you can take initiative, seek first the Kingdom, and go onto the streets and pray for the Spirit to lead you into what He’s doing.
It’s frustrating because it’s the real world.
Life with Christ isn’t a box of chocolates. (Luke 14) It actually sucks real bad sometimes. How often to you hear someone from the pulpit saying that?
I’m so thankful for the parents that God gave me because my parents were real with me concerning the challenges of life with Christ. I’m thankful for them because I’ve never had any pastor tell me that life with Jesus was going to be extremely difficult if I really wanted Him to be the King of my heart.
Lastly, Satan whispered this lie into my ear so many times before The Race that I began to believe it: That he would be less powerful once I was on The Race. I expected for there to be less temptation, less sickness, less anger, less impatience, and simply less evil.
Since that jerk is the father of lies – the complete opposite of that it true. I’ve never experienced so much spiritual warfare. I’ve never experienced so many random and unnecessary feelings of; sadness, anger, depression, irritation, laziness, and hate.
So please pray for me. Satan has been trying his best.
This blog was short and kind of all over the place. I just wanted to put this out there so people have the full picture and understanding of what is going on in my heart and my life on the race.
Last note: I still have $300 to raise until I am fully funded. If the Lord moves your heart to donate, do it.
