Time Away

Last weekend I went to Kampala with a friend and took some time away from home to pray, read God’s Word and rest. It was a very encouraging time. I spent the weekend reflecting on the book of Philippians. As I read the perspective of the apostle Paul, I was reminded that in the midst of challenging seasons, I need to cling to God’s faithfulness. 

One of the things that struck me was how Paul continually encourages the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 3:1) I know that rejoicing is not my natural tendency. But we are told that rejoicing in the Lord is a “safeguard” for us. As I look at the world around me I see corruption, hunger, abuse, and death. But as the psalms encourage me, I need to “lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” (Psalm 121:1) If I keep focusing on the suffering, I fail to see the Savior, the One who brings help in our need. I want to lift up my eyes and fix them on Jesus.. (Heb.12:2) 

I returned from the weekend and was able to rejoice in the Lord a bit more than before. This is not a very linear process for me. I have days where I can rejoice in the midst of struggles and other days where my heart is overwhelmed with grief. Two days after I returned from Kampala there were two suicide bombs detonated in the city and others that were stopped before they could be set off. The city where I had gone for rest just two days before had become a place of chaos, confusion, death and grief. Such is the world in which we live. 

I was reminded that our rest is not found in this world. True rest and peace are found only in Jesus. Today, I cling to him more as I grieve the brokenness. It is my prayer that I can truly “rejoice in the Lord,” even while we grieve over the brokenness. As my Ugandan brothers and sisters often remind me, “God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.”