I know I'm suppose to have experienced the "butterfly feelings" by now but I haven't. One would think going to India and parts of Asia for 4 plus months would do it. So I've been thinking about why this is the case for me and now I believe I have an answer. It's because I'm ready to leave! I have been for a while now. The truth is I have become tired of the system and mindsets that are all around me here. Don't get me wrong, I love the people, my friends and many of the convenient benefits of living here but together we all fall to the influence of our culture. I am ready for a shift, in the way I think, in the way I live.
Practically, my desire is to simply see life from the vantage of people in other cultures. How they interact with each other, how they study, even there work ethic, etc. I imagine everyday life activities are surprisingly different depending on where one is in the world. So I wonder what it will be like in India.
Spiritually, my desire is to be obedient to God and everything He requires of me. I know He has specifically called the four of us to journey throughout India and southeast Asia to advance His kingdom and learn how to live life the way He intends us to. For a long time I've wrestled with the conviction of how easy it is to gain so much knowledge about Gods kingdom and our part in it and yet fail to live accordingly. You see, knowledge by itself is useless and pointless unless joined with action. Application is what I've struggled to remember to do. As I have continued to grow in this area of my life I've become more and more hungry to obey even more which leads me this conclusion. I'm ready?
I am ready there is no question about that, however, I know the lessons are going to be even greater than I can anticipate. So let the testing of my faith begin! I can't wait and it's probably why I have no butterflies, because I'm ready.
