Faithfulness

"God has not called me to be successful. 

He called me to be FAITHFUL." 

~Mother Teresa

It has been hard to mark our "successes" this year. This year has consisted of struggling for 5 months with language learning and adjusting to a new, and very different culture and living situation. To then evacuating, teaching for 3 months and then being transient while looking for a place to "temporarily" settle.

There are days (more than I would like to admit) where I wonder if I was successful at the end of them. I wonder if what I accomplished that day was "enough". Enough for what? I don't even know, but it's a common struggle in my heart. I am a person who like to feel purpose each day. It's why I love teaching. I write out lesson plans, I prepare everything needed to carry out those plans, and then I teach the lesson. At the end of the day, I know what I have accomplished and what I need to do tomorrow. 

1 Samuel 12:24 says, "Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you"

When we come face to face with the great things God has done for us, all we are left to do is be faithful. When we acknowledge the sacrifice He has made for us, the ways He has provided for us, the incredible way He loves us, we are left desiring to serve Him faithfully. 

In this season, serving God faithfully has sometimes just meant being devoted to prayer each day and loving those in front of me. There are some days when it has been hard to see success because we haven't been in Mundri to be able to continue language learning or do teacher trainings. I have wanted to have things to look back on each day to show what I "accomplished", but some days that is hard to come by. However, I am realizing more and more that is exactly where God wants me to be. Because faithfulness is about being devoted to GOD, not devoted to WORK or even PEOPLE (first). We are faithful when we obey God fully and are obedient to Him. This looks different in different seasons of our lives because what He calls us to changes. 

1 Kings 11:38 says, "If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you." 

Do you see that amazing connection? If we walk in faithfulness and obedience with God, He promises to be with us. What more could we as for? This is my heart cry, to serve God faithfully and walk with Him always. I want to be someone who seeks God daily and joyfully obeys Him in each day- even if at the end of the day all I have to show is my faithfulness.