1 Cor. 2:12:
"We have received the spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God." I read this verse the last morning I was in Africa, and I prayed it over my trip. I prayed that the spirit would teach and help me to understand the things (wisdom, faith, simplicity, etc. )God has freely given me from my time in Africa. I could never dare understand all that He did and is doing over there without His spirit living inside of me and instructing me. The Lord FREELY taught us and FREELY gave us things that I cannot stop thanking Him for, especially his living spirit dwelling within me. Leaving Africa with this verse filled me with joy and a peace to know that His spirit indeed would go with me and would continue to teach me things once I was home again.
On our final night, we had a share time and the Lord used a wise friend of mine to teach me yet another lesson. While in Uganda, the Lord convicted me about my prayer life and also about the words that come out of my mouth. I have the option to edify myself or edify the Lord. I have the option to point to myself or to encourage others. My friend shared that he had realized that he talked about himself too often, and it made me think that I also tend to do the same. I think those few words spoken that night have been one of the things that I have been thinking about most since I have been home. I seem to be more quite and more reserved, but it is simply because I am guarding what is coming out of my mouth. It is so easy to talk about myself, but does that really bring others closer to Jesus? Do my self-absorbed stories paint a picture of His kingdom or do they simply draw attention to myself? "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord." I saw firsthand in Africa how the Lord can use another person to teach us, and I hope my words from now on will do the same.
