At the end of a mission trip in Mozambique in 2010, we were driving back to South Africa to one of our final rest camps / stop overs. If you have ever travelled through Mozambique, you will now that there are some roads that stretch over long distances. We were a few kilometres away from the resting place, when we saw a huge gathering of clouds in the coming distance. It was clear to us that we were driving straight towards a huge thunderstorm. In my mind I was thinking, can't we turn around and sleep somewhere else?? We still have to pitch our tents, and it seemed that we will have to do this in pouring rain! Never the less, we drove into the storm, and just as we were starting to set up camp, it started to pour down. Luckily, this missionary resting camp already had army like tents that were pitched, the missionaries that used it were away on a trip, so we were able to use them. One thing that I have learnt in the missionary field, is that what's mine is yours, and you are welcome to use whatever you need. If you ran out of shampoo for example, there would be someone elses' in the shower for you to use, no questions asked :-) Next time, someone else would use your shampoo.
The next morning we could see that it had rained non stop during the night, as there was mud and leaves everywhere round our tents. The main thing was that we had a safe place to stay over that night, and the next morning the sun was out again, and we could continue our journey back to South Africa
Isn't this sometimes how life is? I know a couple of people that is in the middle of their own thunderstorm at the moment. Be it depression, disappointments in life or sickness. What's important to remember is, when facing a storm, we must remember that God, like the tent that was already pitched, is always there to protect us. As His word states, He will never leave not forsake us. We will all at some point in our lives, face some kind of storm, and a question that I have asked myself many times is, to who does a non believer turn in such times? I would think that the enemy would turn them to other things like substance abuse, alcohol, worldly pleasures etc. This morning I read John 8:44 which states, among other things, that the devil is the father of lies and constant in character. He hates the truth, because there is no truth in him. He will tell you many lies, and you will believe him. He would do anything to try and keep you from the truth, to prevent you from being healed. I could take writing this post this morning for example. As I was writing this, for some reason, the document that I was typing just vanished, I thought, oh dear, I just lost all this information, I will never remember all the things that I just wrote - luckily I somehow found the document again. Another thing, the garden services that usually comes on a Thursday, came today, and just as I opened my bible to read, the lawnmower started to make noise outside my window. Determined, I continued reading - I felt that I had a message for someone out there and I was not about to let the enemy distract me!
In todays' rushed life, not many of us take the time to talk to the Lord and spend time with Him. I know that I am also guilty of this, but it is important to remember that this life that we are living now is only temporary, eternity is forever. We need to take the time and spend it with Him. He is waiting to hear from you! He wants to know how your day was, how you are. He wants to hear about your problems, because He loves and wants to help you. I think that a huge misperception today, and I think I have mentioned this before, is that you have to use big words and quote scripture when talking to Him. I think that having a normal conversation with Him is what He wants from us. I could also say that we are all individual and unique, and we can speak to Him in a way that we feel comfortable.
As mentioned in the beginning of this post, the next morning the son was shining again, and the storm was over. If you are facing a storm at this moment, God wants you to know that you are strong enough to get through it. Things might seem dark now, but I believe that He does everything for a reason. You might not see the bigger picture now, but He has another plan for you. In my own life I have seen this happen.
In my past I have changed jobs quite frequently. Many people have told me that does not look good on your CV, especially if you quit without having another job lined up. When I finished studying tourism, I had a job waiting for me in the wine industry. During the time working there the I gave my heart to the Lord, and He changed the way I was thinking drastically. I felt He had a bigger plan for me and did not want me in that line of work any longer - I quit my job and trusted Him for the next season in my life. I was without a job for about 4 months (during that time I applied for many other jobs but that did not realise) I had a casual job for about 2 months in a retail store but felt this was just temporary. (that store no longer exists, which is a conformation that I only had to be there for a short time) After that I learnt that two missionaries, that work at a guesthouse, needed someone to look after the establishment while they were on a mission trip in Mozambique. Sure enough, the owner of the guesthouse gave me the opportunity and I worked there for a year and a half. During this time, the Lord confirmed to me that I had to go to the missionary field for 5 months, and so I left my job at the guesthouse and started the Discipleship Training School, or DTS at YWAM Worcester in January 2011. When I finished this, my previous employer at the guesthouse asked me if I was willing to au pair his children, as his youngest of 3 had leukaemia and needed someone to look after his children as the little girl was in and out of hospital for treatment and they, as parents, had to spend many hours with her. I stayed with this family for four months and soon found another job at a guesthouse nearby.
My time there (three months) was not a pleasant one but I also believed that it was a transition to another season in my life. While working there I got engaged and thus quit my job to find something closer to where my future husband was working. I quit my job there, without having another one (yet again :-) Trusting the Lord for the next step. (also, that guesthouse does not exist any longer) After three months at home, I found another job and have been working there ever since. Throughout my journey He has always been faithful to me, and I am so thankful for that. I never once believed the lies of the enemy, I always trusted Him for the next step or season.
I really pray that you will also trust Him with what you are going through at the moment. He cares so deeply for His children, I hope that you realize and accept this.
Proverbs 3:5 says the following:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
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