Today I was driving around trying to get a million different things done. I am preparing for the UPRISING conference and for the 60+ people coming to stay at our church for the conference. Amidst all the challenges and stress of juggling everything, I suddenly found myself happy and full of joy.

I stopped to think, “Why do I feel happy right now?”

Then it dawned on me that I am doing a whole bunch of things for someone other than me. Like most of us, I can be a selfish person at times. But in this moment I realized that I am laying my life down for a generation I may never meet, and that excites me!

Jesus said, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will find it.” See life is about investing in something bigger than ourselves!

 

Life is about investing ourselves into something bigger than ourselves!

 

There’s a quote that says, “You never truly live until you find something worth dying for,” and it’s true!

My mind flashed back to my life in the states before becoming a missionary. I saw images of me and others in the endless pursuit of more: Bigger houses, better cars, more money, more stuff… Those things aren’t necessarily wrong, but they should not be the focus and purpose of our existence.  We all have things we need and even want. Sure, we would like a nicer house that isn’t filled with cockroaches and doesn’t flood. Of course we would love to have a car that’s not falling apart and doesn’t break down every month.

There is nothing wrong with that.

But in this moment I was feeling something special. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but then it hit me… **Contentment**

That’s what I am feeling! I am content with all that God has blessed us with. There is something very powerful about being content with what you have. Let me share with you this life changing secret from 1 Timothy 6:6-8 “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

I think Filipinos have really mastered this and maybe it’s starting to rub off on me.