Carried to Completion

Today I visited Faith UMC, the third church that I have visited in the last three weeks. I am so thankful for how these churches have welcomed me and allowed me to share about my program, my placement, and my calling. Preparing what to say has also given me a chance to do some reflection on ideas I might not have thought about otherwise. 

Today I talked a little about the mission and service trips I participated in during high school and college, and I talked about a few of the things these trips taught me: 

I learned that I have a lot to learn. Even though I knew about the existence of some of the justice issues in our world, I didn't necessarily know what these issues entailed. I knew poverty existed, but I don't know what it is like to be personally affected by poverty. I didn't know about cycles of poverty or about broken systems that perpetuate it. This is true in nearly every issue of social justice. Ignorance abounds, and I feel that part of being in mission is recognizing this ignorance and working to change it. I go into communities hoping that they will invite me in and allow me to experience their joy, their pain, their laughter, their struggles. I hope that I can come to know the culture of the community and the injustices they face. I hope that learning will allow me to join in with efforts to address these systemic injustices. 

I also learned that I can't do it alone. I am not strong enough. I am not smart enough. I am not patient enough. I am not wise enough, faithful enough, just enough, or loving enough. The good news here is that God is strong enough, smart enough, patient enough, wise enough, faithful enough, just enough, and loving enough. He is more than enough.

This recognition of my dependence on God is so important for me. Being a follower of Christ is not about pursuing my own glory, but about pursuing the glory of God. When I share my life with others, I want them to see God and to come away with evidence of His work in the world. Any admirable qualities that I have are results of God's presence in my life and Him changing my heart and forming my character. And when my negative qualities are apparent, I have hope in knowing that God is faithful and He has not given up on me, but is working in my life and my heart constantly.

Some Scripture that came to mind while writing this:

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. " 

-Philippians 1:5-6  (NIV) 

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." 

-Micah 6:8 (NIV)