“No thank you!” Just a few days ago, I was sharing the story of how the Lord called me into this ministry in Spain and related that these words were my initial response to that call. Ever so kindly my friend commented that at least I was polite in refusing God – the problem was and is, no matter how much we try to refuse God, His will prevails.
The story of how I have reached this point of committing to move to Spain is completely a story of how the Lord’s will prevails above and beyond any human will. The human will of both myself and the friends I had junior year lead to the deconstruction of my community, but through this the Lord’s will was prevailing, bringing me to a place where I would be willing to pursue moving overseas. When the Lord gave me a vision of a cobblestone European street that clearly communicated Europe as the place He desired me to be in ministry, and my human will said the polite “no thank you,” the Lord’s will prevailed through my eventual surrender to His call and then the Spirit’s transformation of my heart. Then, when my human will decided not to pursue going to Europe through Go Corps (I thought two years was WAY too long), in the Lord’s will a friend connected me to a coach without my knowing and I was in the application process!
All throughout the journey of the past nine months – being called, seeking opportunities, applying, and being appointed to the mission field – this phrase has resounded in my mind “I am caught up in the middle of the Lord’s will.”
Most of the time His will did not align with mine! And yet His will is what I want as the driving factor of my life. Knowing that I am caught up in the middle of God’s will is where I have found my comfort, for I know that He is good and faithful. I have no reason to fear what may become of me and my life when I am in the middle of the will of the good and sovereign God.
Perhaps one of the most unbelievable aspects of His good will is the reality that raising support is essential to this work God has called me to. One of the largest reasons I politely declined the call was because I knew it would involve support – and I was not interested in choosing that when I had other options of jobs that would pay me! But entering into this supported role is good.
- It pushes me out of my comfort zone.
- It forbids that I become reliant on myself and think I can be self-sufficient.
- It reminds me that God alone is provider.
- It gives me opportunity to tell stories of what God has done and is doing.
- It allows me to involve people in the work God is doing in Spain.
- It evidences the provisionary and abundant work of God.
Now I must be honest, even though I have become convinced that support raising is good, it is still hard. I am uncomfortable a good amount of the time these days, but comfort should never be the measure of what is good or right. In the times of discomfort, I fall back upon my desire that God be known, that He be seen and heard, and that people obey whatever His ask is of them. While I am the one who sits across the table, or on the couch, or at the side of the pool, and who speaks the words of the ask, I ask on behalf of the One who invited me to join in His mission. I seek to be the mouthpiece through which God is asking His people to invest in the expansion of His kingdom.
This ministry I am preparing to join in Spain will not be my work. It is the work of our good and sovereign God who invited me to play a role. Now, it is my turn to invite others to also play a role in His work of salvation and restoration. What an incredible honor!
As I end week three of this support raising journey, I am confident in saying that I am caught up in the middle of God’s will. He has been moving among the people I know, providing for them so that they may generously provide for me and this Spanish ministry. I believe He is also moving among those I do not know – unexpected people who will join my support team, the Spaniards I will soon meet and see come to faith, and people of all nations who will be drawn to His throne.
Praise be to the God whose will prevails!