the third week of work crew, so we were told by our leaders -who'd been doing this for some time- is the hardest. it's the time when every team faces tension, when the exhaustion of multiple weeks of selfless and tasking labor, late nights, early mornings, and service begins to wear on a team. when their flesh goes to war against their hearts. when all their pride and selfishness becomes evident.
but our team, by some grace, seemed immune. that week, we grew closer, experienced more joy, and saw the Lord's grace even more. at the end of the week, we saw even more kids meet their Maker, and watched as miracles happened right before our eyes. there was less enmity and stress between us that week than there had been any week before.
our leaders seemed amazed at how we kept pushing through without pause. they thought we would have hit a brick wall by that point. but, like our Savior, we had something so much greater than sleep or an emotional high to keep us going.
"i have food to eat that you know nothing about... my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work." - John 4:32-34
we were filled that week with the joy of the Lord, and it was incredible. every night, i went to sleep around two o'clock every night thinking "i am going to be exhausted in the morning, i'm not going to make it". every morning i woke up at seven awake and ready to go. the day was filled with work from sunup till sundown, cleaning, washing, being there for the campers emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, but it was like i was running on a full nights sleep. i never felt tired like i should have.
people often believe the Bible is being figurative when it says "the joy of the Lord is strength." (nehemiah 8:10). it's not.
there is nothing more real than God, and there is nothing more potent than His love. we have access to a power source that is incomprehensible in its capabilities. by His grace, we have been given access to that power. when we walk through life defeated, exhausted, and empty, we not only do we reject His gift of rest, but we limit ourselves through our selfish forms of introspection. that's not to say we won't be pressed and persecuted, but that we will never be crushed or abandoned. we may be struck down, but we will never be destroyed. we are blessed beyond anything this world can throw at us. His joy is our strength.
there is nothing more fulfilling than His love, and nothing more energizing than His passion.
"the Lord is my strength and my shield. i trust in Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. i burst out into songs of thanksgiving." -psalm 28:7
praying that we experience that love that brings joyous strength! God bless!
