No quick fix.
That’s how I feel about this trip.
Meaning, for some reason I had envisioned the World Race as the answers to all my troubles. That going away for a year I would be magically zapped never to be tempted again by the things of this world upon returning home. Shoot, if anything it might be harder returning to the U.S. then it was leaving. If I can get distracted in Thailand and forget about the Lord on off days with vespa rides, movie theatres and dunkin donuts around the corner, it’s not going to get any easier when I come home and distractions are a plenty.
I think the Lord has used the World Race to dramatically change people’s lives. Kids are coming off this thing freer than they have ever been in their lives previously. Twenty-something’s are regularly hearing from the Lord and acting on it.
I know I’m a squad leader for this trip, but I’m really just guy trying to figure it out too. I screw up. My walk isn’t where I want it to be. I still have to apologize to people when I’m an ass. I’m still working on bringing people up higher by not just calling out stuff I see but calling into what the Lords says about them. I’m still learning what it means to lead. I think it means to be a servant.
What I’m learning is that the Lord can free you from something but it doesn’t mean you’ll never be tempted again by it. I’m sure I’ll be tempted by a lot of things when I get home. I’ll still have to make a choice to say yes or no. I still will have to work at not just fitting the Lord into my daily schedule for a few minutes but making the Lord my daily schedule.
The devil is an f head. He’s good at getting people distracted. Try to pray for ten minutes and see how many things you think of that you would rather do. Why is that? We rationalize away our time with the Lord citing “too busy� as our chief source on the subject. I do it. And I’m a missionary. There I said it. I’m a missionary and struggle with it. Kinda have a hard time using that term on myself, makes me feel like I can never smoke a pipe or dance with members of the opposite sex.
My point is I’m not perfect. You’re not perfect. We aren’t ever going to be perfect. We don’t have to be. It wasn’t set up that way. You will screw up. You will fall at times. Brush yourself off and get back up. You can’t do it on your own. Your church won’t be a quick fix. Your spouse won’t be a quick fix. The World Race isn’t a quick fix for how to live. It’s a great tool, it’s great community, but from where i am standing there is no quick fix.
There is however a need to continually seek the Lord on a daily basis. Maybe you struggle with…. fill in the blank. Maybe you’ve been freed of it. Even free people need the Lord to remind them who they are at times.
A trip around the world may have sharpened the desire in me for more intimacy with the Father….but I still have to work at it. I think our perspective of spending time would change a little if we could see the Father’s face waiting for us in eager anticipation when we first wake up. He must be so excited to have a chance to be with us each day.
“Oh, there he is guys (talking to Jesus and the Holy Spirit), Nathan is getting up! Gosh he is handsome. I’m so proud of who he is and who he is becoming. I hope we get to spend some time together today. I miss hearing from him.�
This is the latest in what the Lord has been teaching me: Fight the distractions to idle in “too busy� all day and simply realize the Lord misses you when your gone. Continue to fight your temptations but realize you can’t do it on your own and need the Lord to fight with you.
Yours Truly,
Nathan-work-in-progress-Salley
