My summer began nicely with a short-term service assignment in my home country. I learned flexibility in doing God’s work. I didn’t accomplish what I thought I would, but I let go of my own plans, helped where I could, and was blessed.
Then I began my second assignment for the summer. I joined a literature team. Three weeks in, my fellow team member and I were making one last visit after a long, successful day when we were suddenly confronted by a giant of a man who didn’t like who we were and what we were doing. His fists hurt, really hurt. I was overwhelmed. Shaken. I didn’t like being persecuted.
That night I decided to give up. I forgot that in my recent commitment to read God’s Word more faithfully, I had been very moved by David’s story. I forgot God wanted me to know what He can do with giants.
Instead I said to myself, I’m not going to do this any more, there surely are other ways to reach out. But everywhere I turned–from a Sabbath sermon, to casual conversations, and even to an unplanned small-group Bible study–I began seeing “my giant” in perspective. I remembered David, Goliath. I realized, by God’s grace, I could let go of my fears, of myself. I could even forgive.
I returned to my assignment. I saw God blessing my efforts. The people we met filled me with joy as they responded to our conversations, our prayers for them. I felt their appreciation for what we were doing on God’s behalf. “My giant” shrunk.
If God is teaching me to step back from my own plans to follow His, He is also strengthening me to push through my fears and trust Him.
–A future MENAU worker