Personally
FROM THE FIELD September 6, 2013
Personally
When in the midst of the work it is not hard to feel like the Psalmist (55:6-7) “…O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yea, I would wander afar, I would lodge in the wilderness”
We know how Paul mentioned at one point he had fightings without and fears within. The Psalmist has the answer later in the psalm, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” There it is, the same as Peter encourages about casting all our anxieties on Him, for He loves us. And it is important to keep the big picture in focus. Nothing happens to us that God does not allow. He has purposes beyond our understanding and puny human view.
We are lashed to Christ and that union in faith guarantees the ultimate. Even if our faith may be weak at times part of the unfathomable guarantee is His Spirit is put within us to assure and encourage. It is a case of God and me make a majority. Not only are they who are with us greater than they who are with them, He who is with us is the Almighty. With Him nothing is impossible.
Sometimes people say ‘to thine own self be true’ as the bard of Avon had it. But the reality is – to Him be true as He convinces you within. At times you may be convinced of what to do when none but you are convinced. Twice there were others who were not convinced that the Democratic Republic of Congo was worthy of our attention. Nonetheless I was convinced. As individuals we are concerned with what He wants even though it be not with the concurrence of men.
This is not to say that I have not made mistakes. I stayed too long in Nigeria before shifting to India. This point is not that we do not make mistakes. The point is that when they are made if not sooner, then later recognize and admit them.
One last thing. Because we are co-workers with God the view from the mission field has to be one of challenge, adventure and overarching joy.