There is something about going away that just makes
me think.
We had the opportunity to travel to Mauritius for about 10
days. We started our trip helping out at a conference for youth and ended with
some R&R.
It was wonderful.
I learned far more than I taught during the conference.
The wonderful people that we met during our time there truly
touched my heart and made an everlasting memory.
Really, they were such hospitable, kind, generous, and
loving people with touching stories behind each of their smiles.
They have hearts that long not only for change within the
lives of their friends, but as well for their entire country.
They live with an awareness of the reality of God’s
salvation for His people and with that knowledge they love their friends by
being unashamed to share the Gospel.
This is courageous for teenagers/young adults to do.
What touched me the most, were their stories. Many had seen
deaths of siblings, parents abandoning families, violence, etc. but they lived
with a deep and convicting joy and thankfulness.
From my time with these young people, I feel as if they are
in the process of mastering the following verses in James:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
What is important to notice is, it does not say if you meet
trials, it says when.
We will all meet trials in our lives, therefore it is a
given.
These trials will be challenging, difficult and just flat
out hard.
But the outcome of these trials will be a reflection of
where we are rooted.
Will we count them all as joy? Will we be able to understand
that we are gaining endurance or steadfastness? So that we may one day be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing?
When I asked one of the girls to tell me her story, she
simply said “Life has not always been easy, my mother left when I was 7 and I
have 3 other siblings. It’s been hard at times, but Jesus has been my rock and
there are always reasons to be thankful and to have joy.”
When we have thankfulness in our hearts, joy is the
byproduct. We can easily look at every/any situation and see the negative side
to it. What do we choose to see? What do we decide to make our reality?
Are we able to see joy in the most difficult of times and
situations? A parent leaving, a sibling dying, circumstances changing,
rejection, failure, do we understand that our Father is good and always means
good for us.
I can look at my own life and see how my perspective can so
quickly change depending on if I choose to see the glass half empty of half
full. Let’s take this small example of a choice I have every morning when I
wake up. I can either see my reality as…
I live as a foreigner here, marginalized by the society due
to my accent or lack of cultural competence. I cannot use my talents to their
full potential and am not good enough.
Or
I get the opportunity to live in a foreign country, learn a
new language, and culture. Grow and prosper in patience, gentleness, peace, and
love in all areas of life.
So my friends, the choice is ours. Who do we want to be, how
do we want to see life and do we want to choose joy in our various trials.
