Endless Mountains and one BIG God

So these first five days in Kenya have been a rollercoaster ride to say the least.  It’s been a lot harder than anything I have EVER done in my life, but it has also been the most rewarding thing I have ever experience.  I have felt Jesus more than I ever and I have had to depend on Him more than ever before.  I know I am only going to continue to grow and depend on Jesus more and more throughout my next few weeks here. 

You know when you are having your quiet time, and you seem to come across EXACTLY what you needed to here at that given point in time? Well that definitely happened to me tonight…

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In this world, you WILL have tribulation.  But take heart, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

So much comfort can be found in that verse.  Right there Jesus is saying life is going to be rough.  This world may try to throw things our way that seem like too much to handle.  But here’s the statement that changes things… “But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Doubt? He’s overcome it.

Fear of failure? He’s overcome it.

Anxiety? He’s overcome it.

Sin? He’s overcome it.

Pride? He’s overcome it.

Anything and everything that this world tries to weigh us down with and make us feel like we cannot go on, Jesus grabs the reins and says, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”  He doesn’t say life is going to be 100% rainbows and butterflies, but He says when it does get rough, when the valleys and floods come, He is our peace because He has already overcome whatever we are facing.  Psalm 46 begins by saying that, “God is our refuge AND strength, a very present help in trouble.”  It continues on to state different troubles we may face.  Throughout the troubles, “God is in the midst of her,” in the middle of the raging waters, “God will help her when morning dawns.”  Verse 10 rocks my world every single time I read it.  “Be still and know that I am God."  In the middle of the hard times and confusion, God is saying I am enough.  He is telling us don’t look at your hard times, look at Me.

As I was sitting outside today taking in the beauty of Kenya, the endless mountains that reach well beyond the clouds, the green fields and trees that go on for days, I was talking with Abby, the other girl at Naomi’s with me, and we were reflecting on how BIG our God really is.  He created all of that beauty and much, much more.  And the same God that created all of that looks at us and says, “Be still and know that I am God.”  

He is our fortress.  

He is our refuge.  

He is our comfort.  

This world could not hold Jesus back.  He defeated all of it.  There is nothing more comforting than knowing that Jesus overcame this world for US.  That no matter what we are going through, He is with us to be our peace, our shoulder to cry on, our comfort.  Hudson Taylor once said, “God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him.”  Because when we are at a point where we are weak enough to lean on God with everything we have, it is at that point that He fills us with overwhelming amounts of comfort and peace.  And it is at that point that we can change the world, all for the glory of God.