Sustaining God's Spirit

I've found that it's easy to get into a rut here It's a strange tension, being in a new and different country with still so much wonder and also becoming familiar where everything becomes dulled by routine.

Staying on "mission" longer than an average 2 or 3 week trip has it's complexities. I think the idea of a mission intrinsically implies that there will be a completion and an end. For something that lasts 6 months, it can be easy to have the tendency to focus on the end. This six month mission is teaching me a bigger life lesson--how to be content and faithful.

Just the other day, I was telling my friend Deepak about all of the different activities I tried out while growing up---everything from ice skating to playing the flute to gymnastics to drawing classes. None of which I still do today. I've never been good at staying interested I suppose.

James 1 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

There's a balance between trusting God to prepare my future, and putting in the effort each day to get there. I'm finding lately that when I remember his word and the character and spirit that we can have in Christ, I really don't lack anything.

Sustaining our "mission" in a permanent setting is a reflection of how life really is. God is a daily choice. It's a lesson in commitment and trust. I may not know what my future brings, or may feel some days like I'm not making progress, but I can be content in God's spirit bringing me joy. He has led me to meet people all the way across the world, and each day I get to spend rejoicing in Him and sharing the blessings He's given me.