Forward in Faith

“At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division.”

Jesse Jackson

This morning as I was running I could not stop thinking about Pa (my host dad). No matter if I tried to think about something else my mind would go back to him. My first gut feeling was that I needed to talk to him. I didn’t know what I needed talk about, but I told God if You want me to talk to Pa then please reassure me by letting me see him when I walk in the house. After my run I walked in the house and there was Pa (God’s funny). I then asked Pa if we could talk, he said yes. I then knew what I needed to talk about.

My talk with Pa left me with tears but a heart that feels tenderly loved. Pa explained to me that faith is like the automatic doors that open at a grocery store. The motion sensor detector won’t open the doors till a person stands right underneath the sensor. Like faith God will not open the door until we stand there and we will know what to do and God will open the door.

“Doing the right thing sometimes leads you in the fire.”

This quote has stuck with me since the beginning of this trip in August. It comes from the story of The Blazing Furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Three brave men who had faith in God and even though they made the right decision, they were still thrown in the fire. But God was with them. He delivered them.

During my time here in South Africa I went through many fires. I had to continually seek out God for His help and direction. Sometimes I can’t fully wrap my head around why I had to experience so much pain, when I know I made the right decision to go on this trip. Nevertheless though my God delivered me. Every fire I endured He still brought me through it.

So today I leave to go home and I ask myself this question, how can I not praise Him? He delivered me and I don’t even deserve it. His grace is what’s carried me through.

I’m reminded throughout this trip that this isn’t my life that I’m living. It’s God’s, and I am just here temporarily following Him and seeking His kingdom here on earth. Christianity isn’t about doing, Christianity is about done. God already won but I’m here to live every day, in every moment for His glory.

In every valley or mountaintop
I’ll say hallelujah
You’re still my God

Caili