It's so easy around here to loose focus.
Living in Blantyre, I am torn between two worlds. I am able to enjoy many "western" conveniences such as internet, electricity, good food, cold drinks, ect.
If I'm not careful, my human nature just starts to come out, and I start thinking about me.
Don't get me wrong, thinking about me is fun! I love to think about me. Besides... I have come all the way across the world, away from my friends and family... away from high speed internet... away from food that takes less than an hour to prepare... away from coffee shops and watching movies with friends... Don't I deserve to think about me?
It comes in such disguising ways here though. In ways that most people would argue are not wrong at all. Satan convinces me that it's OK to be wrapped up in myself.
When the things that I wrap myself up in for security are suddenly taken away ... maybe it's a routine power outage just when I'm wanting to chill at night ... maybe it's slow internet ... maybe it's a extra hot night to sleep through ... maybe it's that I'm dieing for a cold drink and just can't seem to get my hands on one! When these things come up, I just get selfish! I pout!!
Although I haven't found myself swimming around in the belly of a whale lately (knock on wood), I remind myself of Jonah.
Jonah was sent by God to a different land to speak the words of the Lord to a people that were going astray. Things weren't really going his way... he didn't really see what the point of traveling all the way to this distant land was.
It was HOT!
He was uncomfortable!!
Jonah found his security in a vine that gave him shade.
For me, this would be an ice cold Coke just when I can't take it anymore.
When the Lord took that security away from him, he pouted. He had forgot what his purpose for being in this distant land was. I think that he fell into maintenance mode. All his concerns were wrapped up in maintaining what was comfortable for him.
God's response to Jonah's pouting about his circumstances was:
"You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Ninevah has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"I am constantly reminding myself that I cannot fall into the same sin that Jonah fell into.
Jonah 4.10-11
Selfishness.
I too am surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people that are suffering without the hope of something greater. I don't have time to sit around and worry about myself. For some reason, the Lord has sent me to this place for a purpose. I can't loose sight of that.
Although I don't care to end up the way Jonah did in his selfishness, I wouldn't mind being thrown in the beginning of that story where Jonah is able to swim around for a few days in the belly of a whale! That would be nothing short of ecstasy for me right now in the heat of October in Malawi!
7 comments:
I'm no whale anatomy expert, but I bet their stomachs aren't that chilly... but they're probably cooler than Malawi. You should come to the service this weekend, I believe we'll be talking about selfishness... I'll be at the Saturday night one. Hope to see you there.
You are very blessed as an American and spoiled I must admit (some of which is my fault). But because of your perseverance in these difficult days we are given a rare glimpse into the lives of people that we need to learn to care for. You get to be our eyes, ears, hands and feet. Without your suffering we would never learn what we can do to help make the people in Malawi have a better quality of life. Keep up the great work and remember God NEVER fails, He will provide your every need. We just have to realize our wants are not always our needs. I suppose you are thinking that is easy for me to say when I'm sitting in a house with A/C and a frig with cold drinks. But you know it is true. Be STRONG!!!!! I Love You, Mom
So good, Ryan.
We are praying, praying that God would use you and speak to you.
Jaye...
Anson prays every morning that Ryan would not get sick. I don't think I told him to pray that...but without fail...he prays it. So no worries...okay!!
Hayden just prays you do what God wants you to do...and that you hurry and come home.
I pray that God uses you...and teaches you...He's doing it.
We love you and miss you!
Heather
Hendricks.....Thank you Anson!!! God is hearing his prayers, keep it up. Tell Anson I will sleep better at night knowing that he is praying for Ryan. Actually I sleep better knowing that so many, many people are praying for Ryan. That is a very humbling, but powerful feeling. God is so faithful!!! I agree with Hayden's prayer, do God's work and hurry home. And Heather I truly believe God is teaching Ryan so many different things each and every day and He is using Ryan in ways that even Ryan does not realize. Hope you guys are doing great. I know Ryan misses you guys, save his spot at Hope Group.
oh ryan...so good to to read this from you...i've been dealing with my own selfishness the last few days (really all the time, but specifically) within my job...more on that to come, but thanks for the encouragement! and remember, i'm prayin for you too! every time ashley baldridge and i open our fridge, there you are (or your card at least:)
and that's kelly writing, not chaney, but i'm on her computer:)
Oh selfishness! It is so hard for me when God shows me just how selfish I am. It's hard when people admit they are selfish because it causes you to have to examine yourself. I think that is why God wants us to be so open and constantly confess...when someone tells me how selfish they are I have to come up with a response. I have to say, "what do I think about that" And what I think is yep, we aren't allowed to be selfish, and if this person can't be, then I can't be. It's hard but it is good.
I like your Jonah connection. This week in Living By the Book we talked about "True to Life" things in scripture. Thing that we read in scripture and say, "yep thats been in my life". This post reminds me of how Jonah ran from God to delight in his own selfishness. That is a picture in scripture that I say...yep! true in my life. To be selfish I have to doubt God and His abundant gifts and live in my own selfishness.
Thanks for your vunerability that causes me to examine myself.
"But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light."
- Ephesians 5:13
Thanks for making your selfness light.
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