This is a sentence that plays over and over again in my head during my day.
God never sends anyone to Africa without first putting Africa in his heart.
What in the world is that supposed to mean?
Surprisingly it has nothing to do with Africa at all.
A really good friend of mine was reading What Does GOD Want? for spiritual direction and recommended to our spiritual director that I read it next. I don't know why exactly she thought of me other than she knows I like to read, but I'm really glad she did. In the midst of school and finals and projects and tests I was done with that book in a matter of days.
The whole book is about discerning what God wants you to do with your life and making sure that your decisions are in line with what He wants and not what you want.
There's a story in the book where a speaker was talking about his own struggles to give his life fully to God. He'd always been afraid to surrender completely to God's will because he feared that the Lord would send him to Africa --- and that terrified him. He had no desire to be a missionary in Africa (or anywhere else) so he withheld that part of himself.
Finally the speaker said he made a full commitment to the Lord despite his fears. And God didn't send him to Africa. He learned something --- God never sends anyone to Africa without first putitng Africa in his heart.
Sometimes I still find it amazing the ways in which God chooses to speak to me. Through song, through SD, through Mass, Through ONE single sentence in a book that just happened to fall in to my lap. This one sentence has changed so much. It's rid me of a lot of fear. But also given me a challenge; to be open to what God has put in my heart.
I know the Lord has a fantastic plan for my life, and I shouldn't be afraid that He will send me anywhere that I'm not ready for, I just remember:
God never sends anyone to Africa without first putting Africa in his heart.
3 comments:
He sent me to Africa... Heck- Now I'm in Antarctica...
Let me explain...
I thought I had been sent to Africa, but once I opened to what God had put in my heart, things started to fall into place and I became content with everything. Trusting God's plan for me.
It took a while, but I became comfortable with all that I had been "thrown into" [given] by God. In fact, I loved it. And thanked Him so many times for the "misfortune."
But so suddenly, He took me out of the lovely Africa. Now I feel like I'm in Antarctica... or maybe even in the middle of the Pacific or something.
I am having a lot of trouble opening my heart to this new world. I know that once I do, I will be harvested with rewards like I did when I opened up to Africa... but this is taking much longer and it is much, much harder.
I just cannot find myself ascertained on this one. Not yet, at least.
-Rice Orchid
Oh I like this post, Cassi! How did I miss it... ? By the way... I got on here to see if you had posted anything about what you gave up for lent cause I remembered the time I gave up chocolate and never broke it for three weeks then realized I was drinking chocolate milk every day at school haha... oops!
- I <3 Orange Soda
Rice Orchid - I have been praying that the Holy Spirit will open your heart to God's will and that you will be receptive to where he is leading you.
One of my new favorite quotes from a local priest "Where I am today is where He wants me to be. Where He leads me tomorrow is where I will follow." Know and trust that He is leading you on His path and when all else fails smile and be optimistic that your Lord will not lead you astray.
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