So, this past week I’ve been experiencing so much firsts some I had no expectations, some nerve wracking, and some exciting all in a span of a week. Travelling alone, MVA SHOUT (sooo much firsts), having fellowship with some Toronto fam, using GTA’s transit (It’s so big!) to name a few.
Each day that went by, that was the reoccurring theme in mind, firsts. I started to ponder this idea when travelling alone for the first time to Toronto which gave me A LOT of time to reflect but later solidified by my experiences throughout that week.
Basically, what I was pondering was there will be a lot of situation that are place in front of us where it will be our first, and most of those first might be scary. Maybe some it’s so scary to the point that they never follow through those situation as a result they would never know and experience the things they will learn through that first. But some, maybe fear of failure or fear of knowing that you are weak or maybe even fear of not in control (which I basically threw out the window in the time I stayed in Toronto). Which I’ll share at the end of my reflection, in each hindrance that might have prevented me from saying yes that I’ve encountered that week.
I know that’s kind of self-explanatory, it’s kind of like the line “you never know until you try” but I started to connect this to my faith. How God will place us in situations that we have never encountered. Maybe we will face situation that we may have to stand up for etc. As a MVA, I can’t help to connect these ideas if I was asked to mission to another area. As missionaries, you will half to go to a lot uncharted waters (a lot is an understatement), meaning a lot of scary first. In those times, we just need to trust God and let God do the work and he will take care of us, guide us to where will be needed and we will experience how great is His creation.
So, one of the firsts in that week which I think one of my biggest first fear was travelling alone to an area that I don’t know, with the people who I have known for less than a year and half that I met up with was the first-time meeting. That by itself could be a reflection by its own but I just want to share this one because before going there my only plan was, when I’m leaving? Where I’m arriving? Who is hosting me? And when I’m going home? That’s it! Everything else was “I don’t have a plan”. When they asked me, do you have a plan after SHOUT, and I obviously said “No”. I didn’t even know who can I meet that week or how am I goanna go around Toronto. If you know me I like to plan and know what’s happening. By the end, I literally let God control and let God guide me, because I know He will take care of me and He did. I even survive comminuting alone from Brampton to downtown Toronto for the first time, without data and without getting lost for the first time. That tells you something about trusting God. By the end, I got to go around downtown, eat some delicious food, and form more and closer Christ centred friendship which I have never expected after from a “plan less” trip.
I’ll share one more, it’s about my first SHOUT especially MVA SHOUT, a lot of first came of that, some better first than others, also could be a reflection by its own. What I mean is that some parts of the activities highlights what I’m weak at but those activities I tried my best which basically SHOUT is ,it is training. Even though this was in a training environment that weekend, God will always gives us opportunities to be our better selves which no better way through our first. Even though some of my first might be discouraging I know God will give me opportunities be better and guide me to what He want me to be. Those first could be realization or confirmation that your weak or could be a sign for or a wakeup call from God saying you can be better so starting working on it.
Even though my share was all about “you’ll never know until you try” that doesn’t mean to try everything recklessly and break commandments, take it with a grain of salt. What I’m just trying to say is taking the path of holiness and be disciples of the Lord is hard and there will be a lot first that we will encounter. It will take a lot of trust and perseverance. It may seem that you’re alone going through this but always remind yourselves that God is with us guiding us and He knows what’s best for us. No matter what circumstances we are in God will reward us tenfold when we let go and let God.
We just need to take that first step and God will lead us the way.