by Tim Poeschl, 6-month Africa Immersion team member
"We're going to build the plane as we fly it."
It's a phrase we've gotten used to hearing on this trip. It's scary for westerners to be so out of control, but that's how things often work in other parts of the world. It's not always going to be exactly this time or right there. In fact, we may not know what we're doing tomorrow. That's also the way God often works. We don't know where He's going to send us or how we're going to get there. We don't know when something is going to happen, but what we do know is He has our best interest in mind when He makes His plan for our lives.
I've discovered that it's easier for me to trust God with some large aspects of my life, but harder with smaller aspects. Why is it that I am willing to drop everything and go to Africa for six months, but when it comes to something small, where I literally have to let go and wait on Him, I have the hardest time? I'm an impatient westerner. But is that really my identity? I've used my passport more on this trip than I have in my whole life, and on the front cover, it says "United States of America."
People see me as an American. A citizen of a far away land most of them have only seen in television and movies. Movies where the American is always right and saves the day by blowing everything up. On television, they see our sports stars soaking up the glory and often times being jerks. But am I called to have that identity? The answer to that question came today when we visited the locations we will be helping at. One man, Raphael, told us that we aren't Americans, just as he isn't Namibian. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God.
As a citizen of this Kingdom, do I have a right to do anything but trust in Christ for everything? It doesn't matter how big or small, trusting God is all that matters. It doesn't matter if it's trusting Him to provide financially, or if it's trusting that He has prepared a spouse for me to someday marry. I need to trust Him for all things, big or small.
LEARN MORE | What is IMMERSION?
Site developed and hosted by Skycog, Inc.