She walked into the office with a task to complete. The day was going by well. She and her co-workers had plenty of things to keep them busy, and thankfully it wasn't just busy-work,which allowed the day to go by fast. She handed off the message then was reminded to check finances; something she had intended to do for the past couple of weeks but kept forgetting. Awaiting the file to open she thought of the end of the year where she would set aside whatever was left for a trip down to Mexico in November with friends. The file opened and the screen blurred except five red symbols. Instantly all previous thoughts vanished. Her mind went into panic mode. Not only does she not have money but she is in debt. How could this be? she asked herself over and over. Question upon question blurred through her head as she walked out of the office fighting back tears of frustration and unbelief. She went into a room in the back away from others pacing, but only for a short time because she knew that she needed to get back to work. As she returned to work the thoughts were to overwhelming. What am I going to do? She walked over and waited while her boss ended a phone conversation then explained. He smiled then said, "Don't worry about it where God guides He will provide. Trust Him."
Ironic how one can speak to others of Trust in God and they too say it of their lives which may be true but when a test comes our way we buckle.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me."
Jesus to His disciples (John 14:1)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Who Do I Think I am?
This past week I was talking with a friend. We were sitting in the main room downstairs in the dorms with approximately eighty people around whether upstairs in the main room we were or shuffling in between. He asked me, "What's something that has been a struggle for you?"
I began to explain, "Hanging out with the different groups that come down is probably one of the hardest things for me because I'm not a game playing, small talk person. I'd rather sit down discuss; what's going on in your life? what's God doing? how are you? etc. I want to create a relationship with someone then play games because then I know the relationship we have is based off of more then frivolous things."
All the while one of our mutual friends was sitting across the room playing a game of Egyptian Rat Screw (a card game) with the some of the group. He responded in love, "But when she(referring to our friend playing the game) sits down to play a game she is saying 'You matter to me. I'm taking time and investing it in you.' She's building a relationship with them as they play the game. Not everyone is like you and is able to dive into discussion and open up that way. We have to be all things to all people."
I didn't really know how to respond. It wasn't that I felt "burned" by what he said but that he was right. Who do I think I am? That I am able to say this is the way I am so if people have to do it my way because I'm not stepping out? I immediately thought of how one day I will be, Lord willing, sharing the gospel with Muslims in their culture - being all things to them. But who do I think I am that I can do that there but I can't even do it here with people of my culture?
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
_1 Corinthians 9:19-23
(italics, bolding mine)
It's not just about when I get there someday, yes be thinking about it but be living it out now. I wrote about this quote from another friend a little while ago, "I have Salvation and I know if should affect my everyday life. But what does that look like?" One way is to live all things to all people every day; now and then also when I get to wherever the Lord leads.
I began to explain, "Hanging out with the different groups that come down is probably one of the hardest things for me because I'm not a game playing, small talk person. I'd rather sit down discuss; what's going on in your life? what's God doing? how are you? etc. I want to create a relationship with someone then play games because then I know the relationship we have is based off of more then frivolous things."
All the while one of our mutual friends was sitting across the room playing a game of Egyptian Rat Screw (a card game) with the some of the group. He responded in love, "But when she(referring to our friend playing the game) sits down to play a game she is saying 'You matter to me. I'm taking time and investing it in you.' She's building a relationship with them as they play the game. Not everyone is like you and is able to dive into discussion and open up that way. We have to be all things to all people."
I didn't really know how to respond. It wasn't that I felt "burned" by what he said but that he was right. Who do I think I am? That I am able to say this is the way I am so if people have to do it my way because I'm not stepping out? I immediately thought of how one day I will be, Lord willing, sharing the gospel with Muslims in their culture - being all things to them. But who do I think I am that I can do that there but I can't even do it here with people of my culture?
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
_1 Corinthians 9:19-23
(italics, bolding mine)
It's not just about when I get there someday, yes be thinking about it but be living it out now. I wrote about this quote from another friend a little while ago, "I have Salvation and I know if should affect my everyday life. But what does that look like?" One way is to live all things to all people every day; now and then also when I get to wherever the Lord leads.
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