Recent Reminders

So I feel like I got a cool life picture during work yesterday. I've been in China for over 6 months now, and have taught up to as many as 23 classes a week, so I've definitely gotten used to teaching... Also, most of our classes have the exact same intro... same greeting, same format, same songs, etc... So I have done this intro countless times now. But yesterday, as I was doing the intro, I started thinking ahead to other parts of the class. I had a moment of worry over whether or not I had done something I needed to for the upcoming part of class. But as my mind wandered into the future over these things, I found myself forgetting where I was and almost messing up the intro that I knew all too well.  I managed to come back to the present just in time to only hesitate a moment before continuing with where I was... but this happened more than once. My mind would anxiously go to the next part of class, and I would start to fumble over where I was in the present. Even as all of this happened, the concept from this verse came clearly to my mind:

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." --Matthew 6:34

This verse settled into my heart more solidly than before, as God painted me this picture. If our minds are anxiously wandering into the future--whether the future is tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year, we can't be fully present where God has us right now. In my class, there was nothing I could have done at that moment to change whether or not I had prepared for the next part of class. Whatever was coming... was coming... and no worrisome thoughts could have prevented that. It would have come, all the same, and it would have been fine. If nothing else, it probably would have brought a good laugh for everyone, and we would have continued with the class. I feel like life is somewhat the same, except with more security. God has already written my story, and what's coming next... is coming next. No anxious thoughts about the future are going to help anything. They will only take me away from the present God wants me to be living in. And to take it a step further, no anxious thoughts about the future are necessary, for my good Father has prepared exactly what He wants for my future. Joy, sadness, excitement, pain, and whatever else could be coming my way, He is good, and He is bringing it. So I can rest in that and live right where He has me right now.

The one other cool reminder I got came this morning as I read from my Jesus Calling devotional:

Walk by faith, not by sight. As you take steps of faith, depending on Me, I will show you how much I can do for you. If you live your life too safely, you will never know the thrill of seeing Me work through you. When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That's why it is so wrong to measure your energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not your strength but Mine, which is limitless. By walking close to Me, you can accomplish My purposes in My strength. -2 Corinthians 5:7, Galatians 5:25

As I read that this morning, God took me back to the time before coming to China. I was scared out of my ever living mind, and--if I would have chosen to 'live life safely'--I would not be here right now. Living in my own natural ability and strength would have left me in Virginia. There's nothing wrong with Virginia, and life probably would have continued just fine there. But... as this devo says... I would have never known the thrill of seeing Him work through me the way He has. He has blown my mind with the lives He's already touched in China--not because of anything I've done, but just because I let Him take me here... so I was the person He decided to use. I'm humbled that He has chosen to use me... in ways that only He could--in His limitless strength. Before I came here, I was measuring the challenges against me in China against my strength, a ridiculous act for a child of God to do. I was walking by sight, not by faith. I pray that I stay available for Him to use...being used by Him is one of the grandest adventures. :)