Pressing on!

I have been challenged this week to think about my passions. What is it that I put all my power and energy into? When people look at my life, what passions do they see there? Do they see my passion for traveling? For mission in isolated places? For music? For education? For translation?

Yeah, I might me known for the things I have just mentioned but I know that I want that to change. Not because these things are wrong but because the focus should be different. I want people to look at my life and say: This person has a passion not for ministry, not for missions, not for evanghelism, not for education but for God. Yes, I want people to see that I am passionate about God. I want people to see my desire to abide in Him and be His and only His. I want people to see that He is everything to me. That He is my first and only love.

And this is what He has been working on in my life lately. I know that He wants me to focus on Him and to press on! I asked Him to do everything it takes to make me passionate about Him and He promised to do so. Sometimes He has to take from me things He has given me, just to change my focus on Him. Mission work has been one of those things, but there are many more. And even though it hurts and it is hard to let go of all those good things, I know it is Him who's asking me to give them away. So, I am ready to give them away because I want Him more than anything. I may walk through the vally of loneliness and darkness, I may have to give away the dearest things to me, I may have to face waiting seasons, I may have to drag my bleeding feet, I my get wounded in the fight, I may stumble and fall, but I want to press on. Because I want Him to be my first and only passion.

Press On by Selah has been helping me a lot in my journey...

Press on

When the valley is deep

When the mountain is steep

When the body is weary

When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard

When we're battered and scarred

When we've spent our resources

When we've given our all

Chorus:

In Jesus' name, we press on

In Jesus' name, we press on

Dear Lord, with the prize

Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on.

Priorities

I was taking to a girl a couple of weeks ago. I don't really know her but we have something in common: both of us work for the same organization and we are also in the process of finishing our master degree having to work on our thesis. “So, are you going to get your Ph. degree as well?”, she asked me. Upon answering her that I don't want to, she said: “I want to get my degree because I have seen that University teachers have a comfortable and easy life. They usually have a business of their own while pursuing a teaching career.” Later on, while thinking about this conversation (I usually do this) I asked myself: what do I really want in life? Do I want a comfortable life? Do I want an easy a job? Do I want a predictable life? Do I want the financial security and the money of two jobs?

It did not take long before I had the answer... I like comfort, but I don't want a comfortable lifebecause I have seen that I can be really happy while living in a jungle hut. In fact, I think I was happier while living in a hut. I like doing easy stuff, but I don't want it because I want to be challenged, I want to develop and to grow. I like some of the predictable things, but I don't want a predictable life because life with God is often unpredictable. Why? Because my ways are not His ways and His ways are not my ways. So, I need to be ready to accept His leading and this means to accept a way that might not be my way. It feels good to have lots of money but I don't need and I don't want it. I have seen that God can take care of my needs if I seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. I worked as a volunteer for 5 years but I never lacked anything.

Yes, it is true that I don't want an easy and comfortable life! I just want a meaningful and vibrant life of service. This is what I have always wanted. And He gave me one. I have never thought that He will ask me to do the things that I have done and go to the place where I have been. I have never thought that He will lead me the way that He led me. So, life with God is unpredictable. A life of service means a lot of times lack of comfort, uneasiness, a lot of unpredictable situations and waiting on God. And I am fine with it because I am with God and because nothing compares with the joy and peace that come with the assurance that God is leading. It might not be easy at times, but it is worth it. It is definitely worth living a life of service for God!

So, what are the things that you are looking for? What are your priorities? What do you really want in life? Are you content with your life? Are your priorities His priorities?

I like to sit down to ask myself these questions and check if I am on the right track from time to time. If you didn't do it for a long time, I think it is high time to do it.

P.S. Choose to live a life of service! You will never regret this choice.