This week I got to have lunch with a friend. We were talking about our plans for next year — he’s going to Liberty and I’m going on the World Race. He was asking about the World Race and I told him how I was nervous about doing street ministry because I can be kind of (okay, REALLY) awkward sometimes. I haven’t really done anything like street ministry before, either.
But my friend responded with something so simple but I hadn’t thought of it before — “it’s not up to you.” It was so simple and made so much sense but I had never thought of it before! I realized that when I’m out in a different country talking about Jesus, it’s not my job to give the people there an open heart to listen and receive. All I am responsible for doing is planting seeds. Someone might brush off the Gospel message when I talk to them in Guatemala, but God’s got it under control! The next group of racers might just be the ones that are there when God softens their heart and give those racers the opportunity to walk with them as they receive Jesus Christ.
This simple phrase blew me away because it showed me how much I’ve been stressing out about things that I literally can’t do anything about. I can’t make someone accept Jesus. I can’t make people help fundraise me. I can’t always understand the big picture. But I can trust that God’s got this and I don’t need to worry!
It’s not up to me.
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore 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? Look 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If 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? So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, but your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I thought I would post this because it’s been super encouraging to me, and I hope that it will do the same for you!
God is good!
Maddie Chase
& a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who’s helped support me so far in this journey! I appreciate it more than you all know!
alsoooooo I’ve been doing some fundraising, adopt-a-box and I’m about to start selling bracelets! If you want to keep up with fundraisers I’m doing, follow me on social media and I’ll be making updates there often!
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Maddie Chase
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