After nearly 4 days of traveling, we finally made it to our final destination for the month. By bus, subway, planes, and trains, we got to our home in Oradea, Romania around 2:30 Monday morning. We started our journey at 3:45 am Thursday, so it only seemed appropriate to end it also in the wee hours of the morning. Satan tried really hard to keep us from getting here with delay after delay. There were delays, missed connections, long waits for trains, and a even longer train ride. After hearing a wonderful teaching session at Launch about choosing to have a positive attitude in even the worst of times, we all tried our best to not let the strenuous travelling situation to get us down. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. After 36+ hours without sleep, nearly 24 hours without food, and wearing the same clothes for several days, it would have been easy to gripe, complain, or feel frustrated. Instead, we chose to make light of the situation and just laugh at the craziness our life had become.
In the midst of all of this, I realized that if I am to fully embrace my decision to follow God than I have to let go of all of the comforts I’ve grown accustomed to. I cannot worry about the little details like where I’m going to sleep, what I’m going to wear, or when I’m going to eat. Matthew 6 (also Luke 12) says “25Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I know that’s easier said than done, but there is so much truth in that. We get so caught up in meeting our needs ourselves that we forget to rely on God. We don’t have to focus on what clothes we’re going to wear or where and when we’re going to get our next meal. God will provide for us. I may be in the same clothes for 5 days, but at least I’m clothed. I may not eat a full meal for over a day, but I had an abundance of food the day before and will again in the days to come. I may not truly sleep/rest for days, but I know God will give me the opportunity to recharge. God will clothe me and feed me; He will not let me perish.
