On service. And suffering.

Some years ago I was preparing a message on commitment while traveling in the West. Within the space of a few days, three people told me how they or someone close to them had left a group or a person because of problems. One had left an unhappy marriage; another, a church; another, an organization. Each person described his leaving as a merciful release from suffering. But I could not help asking myself whether, in each of these cases, the Christian thing to do would have been to stay and suffer.  from "To Serve is to Suffer," by Ajith Fernando.

A week ago, we left the place, the people, that has been our home for the last 8 years.
A week from now, we will board an airplane, and 8 hours later, land in San Jose, Costa Rica, to learn Spanish for 8 months.

Leaving is the next step in preparation to serve at the US/Mexico border with MTW. 
Our church family sent us out with an amazingly beautiful commissioning service.
We were surrounded by friends and community.
We were exhorted by a charge to continue to serve, and we were loved by the sweet words of those we have served alongside for all that time.

But there were many that we have known over the years who were not there.
Some have moved.  Some have changed churches.
Some, well some, we have no idea where they are.  Or what they are doing. 
Some came into our lives in a blink, and left just as quickly.
We had hoped we would see some that we did not.  We had hoped we would have opportunity to say goodbye. 

Today I read an article that reminded me of what we experienced over the last 8 years, just a bit.  Sri Lankan pastor and evangelist Ajith Fernando writes, "Sticking with people is frustrating. Taking hours to listen to an angry or hurt person seems inefficient. Why should we waste time on that when professionals could do it? So people have counselors to do what friends should be doing."
Sometimes serving is hard.
It probably would have been easier not to.
And that will probably be true in the future, too.
But our family, we're going to press on.

We have no promise of the measures of Western success, of a large church, of numbers of converts, of safety or cleanliness or wealth.  But our hope is eternal fruit, of giving glory for Christ's kingdom.  And if suffering is part of God's plan for us, we'll thank Him for it.  Because we've known just a taste of that bittersweet, and we know Him more for it.  And we know that suffering is inexplicably linked with joy.  We will consider it all joy.

Do read the entire article. 

(credit to Tara Barthel at Considerable Grace for the link to the article.  Thanks!)