Sometimes we commit to something with full intention of
carrying through with it, but obstacles come up that change plans in a weird
way we don’t understand – like quitting something good due to unexpected things
like sinus infections and bronchitis and fatigue and being homesick for family
– and we must accept that we cannot control everything. Sometimes the hardest
trials in our life can lead us back to the greatest blessings. Sometimes our
life does not turn out the way we expect it to, but that’s the beauty of the
journey. We can know the Author in the midst of the unknowns of the story, and
can choose to trust Him more deeply through it. If I had known six years ago
some of the places I would set foot, some of the discomforts I would go
through, the heartbreaking stories I would hear, or some of the things I would
do, I never would have left home in the first place because those things would
have seemed too overwhelming, but God is gracious to guide our steps through
the unknown and give us provision for the impossible as we entrust our self to
His care. He is gracious to show us the most beautiful threads of a story He is
writing to bring redemption and restoration to a world that is in much pain. Never
would I have thought that I would end back in Iowa of all places, but this is
the place where God first stirred my heart to seek truth and discover the
beauty of enjoying the presence of God, while seeking to live a life that
serves as Jesus served and overcome my own selfish tendencies.
I am reminded of some guys I like to call Rack, Shack, and Benny
(aka Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). They ended up in a furnace of fire of
all places! Bet they weren’t expecting that, but they were willing to be thrown
into it rather than compromise (Daniel 3). Sometimes living by faith gets messy
because humans, no matter how “good” they are, are very imperfect, but those
who hope in the Lord will be victorious because Christ is our strength.
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