Isaiah 55:10-11

A sweet, sweet friend shared this passage with me that helped her while she was in San Antonio for two months. Like me, she had a hard time knowing how much effort, heart, and time she put in her ministry, yet never knowing if it would make a difference...

"As the rain & the snow come down from heaven, & do not return to it without watering the earth & making it bud & flourish, so that it yields seed forth sower & bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire & achieve the purpose for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:10-11

She said we were there to "plant seeds" which I've heard time and time again, but it's oh so true. While I was in Swazi, I think I kept missing the point, missing the big picture. Sometimes I just thought, 'All I'm doing is playing with some kids'....'All I'm doing is holding her hand'...'All I'm doing is showing her my love.'...'How can that make a difference?' But we were sharing GOD's love. Not just our own. Sometimes it's discouraging to do short-term mission work because in most cases you don't see the fruit of your work, of your effort. We were planting seeds. And that's what we were called to do. One day maybe they'll remember me holding their hand. Maybe one day they'll remember the love I showed them. And maybe they'll realize that love came from somewhere else. Maybe they'll go searching for the truth. And maybe, just maybe they'll find it. We may never see the fruit of it, but we did our part, and that should be good enough for us. We should have trust that God will do the rest, that He'll do His part.
When it was time to leave, I saw so much hurt, so much brokenness, so much heartache. I thought, 'What was the point?' What was the point of staying for two months, building incredible relationships, only to leave. Only to break their hearts. Only to cause pain. Why? What was the point? Well, I don't know how God's going to work in it, but I know He will. I know He'll use that brokenness, that heartache to bring glory to Himself. I know He'll use that to change their lives. I know He'll come through and do His part. I have to put trust in Him that it wasn't for nothing. Because at the end of the day you have to have faith, you have to have trust.