Quietly or Not-so-quietly Being Sifted
This mission experience for me is marked, analyzed and evaluated in terms of years. I'm not sure why. Perhaps, I can easily categorize things from one US visit to another, which usually happens in almost-year increments?
The questions dancing in my head go something like this:
How did we do?
Where did we see God working?
What were the challenges?
Emotionally, how am I holding up?
What got easier? harder?
Where is assimilation happening? Where am I still struggling to culturally adapt?
This year I have seen God's hand working time and again. Ministry-wise things are moving along beautifully. My cultural awareness has dramatically increased as we moved into a neighborhood where I live and breathe with my Miskito neighbors all day, every day. I sense a deep desire in our family to grow in our relationships with the Miskito people. This is worthy of great celebration.
In the very same year, I have had to take a very hard look at myself. It feels like a season of sifting. There is an underlying awareness that this sifting may be the 'new normal' for me. Things that were never challenges are now challenging. Things that were so easy for me, almost effortless, before, now seem to take Herculean effort.
The sifting seasons of our lives are not easy. And yet, discomfort produces growth! On the other side of sifting comes a purer version of the item being sifted.
And so, I rejoice that God is not done with me yet. If He were finished, there would be no need for sifting.
My heart clings to the fact that He loves me, He KNOWS me, in Him I am enough... it is true.
The questions dancing in my head go something like this:
How did we do?
Where did we see God working?
What were the challenges?
Emotionally, how am I holding up?
What got easier? harder?
Where is assimilation happening? Where am I still struggling to culturally adapt?
This year I have seen God's hand working time and again. Ministry-wise things are moving along beautifully. My cultural awareness has dramatically increased as we moved into a neighborhood where I live and breathe with my Miskito neighbors all day, every day. I sense a deep desire in our family to grow in our relationships with the Miskito people. This is worthy of great celebration.
In the very same year, I have had to take a very hard look at myself. It feels like a season of sifting. There is an underlying awareness that this sifting may be the 'new normal' for me. Things that were never challenges are now challenging. Things that were so easy for me, almost effortless, before, now seem to take Herculean effort.
The sifting seasons of our lives are not easy. And yet, discomfort produces growth! On the other side of sifting comes a purer version of the item being sifted.
And so, I rejoice that God is not done with me yet. If He were finished, there would be no need for sifting.
My heart clings to the fact that He loves me, He KNOWS me, in Him I am enough... it is true.
Comments