A New Season

I arrived home from my month long trip to Swaziland 17 days ago. Re-entry has been very hard for me. In Swaziland I spent everyday, every hour serving others and focusing on those around me; not focusing on myself. During our stay in country we spent a lot of time pouring love and encouragement into the children at our assigned CarePoints and into the community. When the team wasn’t out doing ministry, we were still with each other 24/7. Living together for a month was the perfect opportunity to serve one another, speak life into each other, give good feedback and to just love one another. It was truly beautiful community living. 

Since I’ve gotten home I’ve really struggled with depression and believing Satan’s lie that I don’t have any purpose here. I’ve honestly believed that I can’t have true quiet time or worship or really do work for the Lord unless I’m away from home and out of my “comfort zone(I’m not even truly sure what that is anymore).” I keep saying to my teammates over and over, “I just want to go back to Africa, everything was better there.”

It wasn’t until just recently that God opened my eyes and gave me peace about this new season of life that He has me in now. I can confidently say that I do have purpose here and God has put me here for a reason just as He has placed everyone where they are for a reason.
He actually spoke to me about this through a passage in the bible and I’ve really felt that He wants me to share it and my notes on it with you.

1 Corinthians 7:17-24

V. 17 “Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.”
God has called us in this season and at this point in our lives to live for Him. He wants us to look for those opportunities to be salt and light and pour His love into everyone around us. That’s the people at school, on a sports team, at work, in church, in your home, even the lady in the checkout line at Walmart. I don’t know where you’re at in your life every day. You may not even know where you are, but God does and He wants you to live your life in the moment, right now, abundantly for Him.

V. 18-20 “Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God calls them.”
Paul uses the example of circumcision in this passage to explain that we don’t have to change who we are to fulfill God’s calling. Now obviously if you’re practicing something that isn’t glorifying God then you need to lay that down and get rid of it. But we don’t have to where skirts or collar shirts carrying an open bible around with us everywhere we go, 24/7 to follow God. I personally think that would be weird but it’s because that’s not who I am. God calls you. He calls us and who we are in the situations that we are currently in and tells us to remain in that situation. He has called you there and wants you to stay there.

V. 21-24 “Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you – although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves to human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.”
Paul goes on to use the example of slavery to explain that where we are in life should not concern us in whether we should follow Christ’s calling. It’s so easy to get distracted on what we could be doing somewhere else that we forget God has called us to live our life here for Him, in this season He has us in now. I have struggled with this so much because I feel like the only good work I can do for God is by loving the little babies in Africa and pouring into the communities there. This however, is not true. God has called me to serve Him and do good works for Him in this season of life He has me in now. When I was called to faith in the Lord, I became Christ’s slave. As responsible to God, He has commanded me to live for Him remaining in the situation I was in when He called me.

My time in Africa was amazing and I was truly able to live abundantly in serving Him every day while I was there. I can say confidently that I lived in the moment in Africa. Now in this time of being here, He has called me to live abundantly and in the moment serving Him everyday. It won’t be easy, but it is so worth it and exactly what I was created to do.
I encourage you to live your life abundantly, in the moment, and serving God in this season that you are in now. He has put us all in this place for a reason and I pray that we’ll glorify Him in it.

“Every job can become Christian work when you realize that the purpose of your life is to honor, serve, and speak out for Christ. Because God has placed you where you are, look carefully for opportunities to serve Him there.” -unknown