If it is the Lord's will...

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

This is one of those verses that came at the exact right moment to encourage me and help me understand what’s going on in my life. When I told/tell people I’m here on a one way ticket, their next question is, “Well how long do you hope to stay for?” My answer was always at least a year. 

How foolish of me to try to plan that far in advance. It says in the scriptures that we don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, so how will I know what will happen in a year. I think I forgot my reasoning in buying a one-way ticket to begin with. It was not so I could be here forever or even for a year. I bought it because I don’t know what God holds for me in this place. Not tomorrow, not the next day, and not even a year from now. I’m here seeking the Lord’s will in my life. I’m here looking for answers from my omniscient Father; for I do not know what will come of tomorrow, but He is all-knowing and all-powerful, and will reveal to me in His perfect timing His will for my life. 

I’m learning to be content with not knowing my timing here. It’s a strange feeling, but the Lord is giving me a peace about it. I often ask myself, am I okay with staying here for a long time, or in the same breath, am I okay with going home much sooner than I thought. My time here is not in my hands. God knows when I will return home. He knows why He has me here. He knows what my purpose is here. I am here to do His will and that's all I'm called to do, no matter what the timing may be.