God has been teaching me a lot of things on the race, I’d like to share two of them with you right now. The first is how I’m learning to mourn losses and the second ties right into it; is how God is showing me to love people with open hands.
The World Race is definitely a unique season when it comes to relationships. It is essentially a year of constant goodbyes. I’ve only been on the race for 50 days now and the Lord has already started walking me through the dance of changing seasons a few times.
The race looks like this: you get placed in a city, you fall in love with the people and the place and then you have to leave them. Then you get separated from people on your squad for months at a time. For the first few months you are placed on a team that you get to know deeply, and then eventually teams will switch and you will have to be apart from those people too. Its hard! Is it possible to love people fully, knowing that either you are going to leave them or they are going to leave you?
Gosh that is a struggle for me but, yes. The Lord is teaching me that time with people is never gauranteeed and the only thing that I can do is steward the time that I am given well.
I can’t love people on my own strength. I have to trust my good God that I can love people, leave them, and also be left by them and be completely ok. I’m ok; because I’m completely known and loved by the Father. The Lord is in front of me, behind me, and knows every place that I’ve been and will be. If the Lord is in me what do I have to lose, ever?
The verse that comes to mind is Paul talking in Philippians: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” -Philippians 3:7-8
If it’s for the sake of knowing the Lord more and expanding His kingdom it is always worth it. Every time.
It’s ok to mourn the loss of things and seasons. God has emotions too! That being said, the hope of Christ gives us an “I get to perspective.” For the sake of the Gospel:
I get to sleep on the floor.
I get to be uncomfortable.
I get to say hard goodbyes.
Thank you, Lord.
We get to love the people around us with open hands in the same that the Lord loves us. He died on a cross for us knowing that some of us would actively not choose Him, and He loves us regardless. That’s how we love the people in front of us well. Love them hard for whatever amount of time you’re given, knowing that any time you get is a grace.
I am beyond excited for my next two months in Guatemala! Like literally beyond excited. AND ALSO I’m a little sad about leaving the last season. It’s ok to be both. The Father has emotions. Processing our emotions is important to Him. He is showing me how to acknowledge the things I am feeling and then toss those things to the Lord and ask Him how He feels about the things. He’s good. He’s good. He’s good!
