uncomfortable
Marty is in management training this week. An uncomfortable place for him for many reasons. First he has to sit still. I mean - come on! - that is just boring! Secondly he is in a crowd that is very different from his regular crew. Marty works in the "regular" or secular world... these guys this week are all long-time missionaries. (This will be an ongoing adjustment... all the "polite" missionaries keep telling us that there isn't a regular missionary mold, but the thing is whether we like to admit it or not. There is. There just is. Marty's appearance doesn't exactly scream conservative.) Anyhow bunny trail.
Why else is it uncomfortable besides not fitting into the regular missionary mold? And because he is in an office setting (when he is used to working with his hands)? Because Marty also breaks the "management" mold. Marty has worked for a big corporate company for his entire adult life. And he hasn't always been too pleased with many of the experiences that comes with working for a corporate run organization. Here is the deal though. Marty may not fit the management norm and I think that is what will make him an incredible manager. (Think on it from this perspective - have y'all ever seen the show about the undercover boss? The big guy goes in and disguises himself as the regular joe and finds all the ins and outs of the job to make the company a better place... I don't think you can manage well until you have been managed.) Bunny trail numero dos...
Anyhow - where am I headed? Essentially this is it - God continues to make us uncomfortable. Marty and I both tend to not fit in anywhere and everywhere - especially now... I don't think that this is a coincidence either. Too radical for the secular world, off the deep end for regular church goers, and freaky in comparison with the average missionary. I think that God is using every tiny part of our lives right now to push us full force into His purpose for our lives. Our family made a commitment to serve God no matter what. No matter where. No matter how... just to be obedient with whatever God gives us... and ever since then we have been uncomfortable.
No coincidence then is it that this past Sunday the church we visited was discussing what it means to suffer with Christ. Jesus never fit in. He was a radical. He stuck out. For me this week Marty's very uncomfortable state is a clear and precise reminder of this from Romans 8:17b:
"we must also share His suffering."
Now don't get me wrong here - I am not throwing a pity party. In fact, I don't want us to fit in anywhere IF it keeps me from being who I am supposed to be in Christ. (I am not sure I am getting my point across clearly.) I think eventually our lives will be less out of the ordinary than they are now, but when Marty and I followed Jesus' calling on our lives to serve Him through missions we permanently broke off from the rest of the regular world... and at this point it is very uncomfortable. Here's the kicker though - He doesn't leave us here. His grace and mercies comfort us and we continue to press on for whatever the day, week, month, or years will hold - uncomfortable or not, because of the eternal purpose we seek to fulfill. Verse 18 of Romans 8:
"what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later."
PS I think eventually we may fall into a less uncomfortable place. It may just be the transitions that we are experiencing that make life feel like it does now... here's to hoping that there are kindred spirits for Marty and Sara Driggers (and girls) somewhere in this world. :)
Why else is it uncomfortable besides not fitting into the regular missionary mold? And because he is in an office setting (when he is used to working with his hands)? Because Marty also breaks the "management" mold. Marty has worked for a big corporate company for his entire adult life. And he hasn't always been too pleased with many of the experiences that comes with working for a corporate run organization. Here is the deal though. Marty may not fit the management norm and I think that is what will make him an incredible manager. (Think on it from this perspective - have y'all ever seen the show about the undercover boss? The big guy goes in and disguises himself as the regular joe and finds all the ins and outs of the job to make the company a better place... I don't think you can manage well until you have been managed.) Bunny trail numero dos...
Anyhow - where am I headed? Essentially this is it - God continues to make us uncomfortable. Marty and I both tend to not fit in anywhere and everywhere - especially now... I don't think that this is a coincidence either. Too radical for the secular world, off the deep end for regular church goers, and freaky in comparison with the average missionary. I think that God is using every tiny part of our lives right now to push us full force into His purpose for our lives. Our family made a commitment to serve God no matter what. No matter where. No matter how... just to be obedient with whatever God gives us... and ever since then we have been uncomfortable.
No coincidence then is it that this past Sunday the church we visited was discussing what it means to suffer with Christ. Jesus never fit in. He was a radical. He stuck out. For me this week Marty's very uncomfortable state is a clear and precise reminder of this from Romans 8:17b:
"we must also share His suffering."
Now don't get me wrong here - I am not throwing a pity party. In fact, I don't want us to fit in anywhere IF it keeps me from being who I am supposed to be in Christ. (I am not sure I am getting my point across clearly.) I think eventually our lives will be less out of the ordinary than they are now, but when Marty and I followed Jesus' calling on our lives to serve Him through missions we permanently broke off from the rest of the regular world... and at this point it is very uncomfortable. Here's the kicker though - He doesn't leave us here. His grace and mercies comfort us and we continue to press on for whatever the day, week, month, or years will hold - uncomfortable or not, because of the eternal purpose we seek to fulfill. Verse 18 of Romans 8:
"what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later."
PS I think eventually we may fall into a less uncomfortable place. It may just be the transitions that we are experiencing that make life feel like it does now... here's to hoping that there are kindred spirits for Marty and Sara Driggers (and girls) somewhere in this world. :)
I enjoy your weekly reflections Sara....they are very insightful, motivational, uplifting, and endearing...keep up the great work, thank you! Shannon Dervay
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