Storms in Life, Part 1

This weekend I am heading to Totara Springs Christian Centre to take part in Ignition. 

"Ignition is a weekend designed to grow young leaders.  Although there is a Christian Camping flavour, it is a tool for youth group leaders at churches.  There are three main streams that we cover for the weekend; Childrens Ministry, Teen Ministry and Leading Leaders."

- from the Ignition Brochure

From a CCNZ perspective we think its a great kingdom building activity to run a leadership event that fosters communication and co-operation of different ministries.  Personally I have learnt over the last few years of ministry work, and especially working for CCNZ, of the value of working together. 

This weekend I will be representing CCNZ at the ministry Expo on Saturday, and then speaking at the seminar on Sunday!  It seemed like a great idea when I first volunteered to be part of the weekend, but with my seminar being six days away, I am feeling slightly more apprehensive than before!

Storms in life will come, how do we handle them well?

For a few moments now, humour me as I process this question.

I'm 25 and have taken seriously the passage from 1 Timothy 4v 12...

"Don' let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

I may be young (and really only a little older than I thought I was at 15!), but never underestimate God's hand over your life.  Your experiences and the lessons you learn through hard times hold significance and are valuable in teaching you how to walk through life.  I am the first to admit that I have A LOT to learn, and am so glad that I will be learning my whole life, so what I share about weathering storms must be taken from that context.

Humility

When I lived in Beijing, China (which I did from mid 2006 til mid 2007 - teaching English) I learnt a lot about humility.  On a team of seven people, all with different life experiences, all on different life journeys with God... when differences came to light it was often so hard to truly listen to why another person believed like they did. 

I really struggled with our team leaders approach to dealing with other team members, and also some of their intercultural communication methods with our school staff.  I remember coming to a point, after months of tension, tears and wrestling, of realisation that my leaders loved the Lord, were crying out to Him for answers, and so was I!  Why then could we not come to a point of agreeing?  Surely if God was God and he had one truth for all, and a best way of living out life on earth, if we were both talking to Him, why were we coming away with a different message?

I also struggled with submitting to my God-given authority, when in my heart of hearts I just couldn't understand why I should follow their instruction when it seemed to be so wrong (from my perspective of course!).  Choosing each day to follow their lead sometimes was hard, and also choosing how to act when they couldnt see or hear me also brought challenges.  But through it all I think I learnt a small lesson in humility. 

Maybe what God was teaching me through this part of my life in China was not so much about what was happening day to day, but maybe he was molding and shaping me, and my responses to the hard things in life.  Tucked away in China, unable to run away from the conflict and from the situation, God taught me to stay.  Stay when times are tough.  Stay right there because I (God) can refine and teach you so much more when its only me you can depend on.

When storms of conflict come, how do we handle them?  My suggestion is that we should always come to conflict with an attitude of humility.  Remember that the conflict may not be God's main focus at all.  Instead he could be allowing us to struggle so we depend more firmly on him.

I remember an image that came to mind often through the storm talked about above.  When I lay in bed at night preparing to sleep I'd often see myself in a dark stormy sea.  I'd be holding on, very tightly, to a thick rope with a big knot at the end.  I wasn't really scared, I was more focused on holding on!

I will leave you with Psalm 18, as it encourages me...

 ⁴ The ropes of death entangled me;
      floods of destruction swept over me.
 ⁵ The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
      death laid a trap in my path.
 ⁶ But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
      yes, I prayed to my God for help.
   He heard me from his sanctuary;
      my cry to him reached his ears.

Until my next thoughts...