Life is full of surprises! It does not matter if you live in
Kansas or in Mali, you will experience surprises. Sometimes they are great
surprises, like a McDonald’s opening up in your country. Sometimes they are not–so-great
surprises, like finding out that someone you love has cancer. Everyone will
have surprises. As
MKs we also live with surprises. We live with questions about where we will
live, how long we will be there, if funds will continue while we are overseas,
and many more.
God has not promised us a life free of difficulty. One verse says it like this: “He…sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous,” (Matthew 5:45, NIV). Things happen in life. No matter who we are, we can expect to be challenged. But it is through those challenges that we grow and become the men and women that God wants us to become.
In our ISMK iDiscipleship Bible-reading groups, we recently read through the Book of Luke. Luke 12:22–34 (NIV) says:
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your
body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than
clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom
or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who
of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this
very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Consider how the wild flowers grow. They
do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was
dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will
he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat
or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such
things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and
these things will be given to you as well.
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Through the uncertainties and challenges of your life, you can be encouraged, knowing that God is with you! When you understand that God is with you, you can trust Him to meet all of your needs and to help you through even the worst surprises. Just like a little child knows that his daddy will provide breakfast in the morning and dinner at night, you can trust without worry that your Heavenly Father will give you everything you need exactly when you need it.
If you have not joined us as part of the iDiscipleship Bible-reading platform, you NEED to. We read approximately four chapters of the Bible each week. It is challenging, but most MKs are able to keep up. It is cool to be able to hold each other accountable and to spend time in God’s Word. I have found that many of us talk about the value of God’s Word, but not all of us spend time reading His Word. The iDiscipleship program will help you develop a consistent habit of reading God’s Word.