Chasing After Christ

I have found myself in a trap. A trap so easy to fall into, but should never be. I have allowed myself to be caught up with the people I come in contact with in ministry. … Wait. What? Isn't that I should be focusing on, people? Not really.

I came to Uganda to share the grace of God and the love of Christ with all I meet. I came to build relationships. In short term trips, you are so rushed. Rarely do you have the time to build a friendship with people. When I knew I would be here for a year, I told myself I would build lifelong, Christ centered friendships. This has become a reality. I am constantly making new friends, and I know many of these friendships will last for eternity.

However, making friends with many Ugandans means bearing their burdens along side them, just as all friendships. Here the burdens are so heavy on each one, and much more urgent. I am the kind of person who wants to jump in and fix it all. My friend Caroline has nine children from ages eight to twenty. All want to attend school. Yet her husband is a pastor, and is not paid, and he does not have a paying job. Their only income comes from bracelets that she sells in the markets, which is not even close to covering all her children's school fees. I desperately want to help her. I want to make sure she lives in security, and peace. I want to see every last one of her children receive an education. I want to give her the tools she and her husband need to care for these needs themselves. However, I don't have the tools or resources to make this all possible.

Caroline is only one example. Every day I feel the burdens of those surrounding me, and I want to share in these burdens. Here is where the problem lies. When I start looking at the burden, I take my eyes off Christ, which is completely unacceptable. My work becomes just that – work. It becomes “a nice thing to do for the world”, when I have come for so much more! My eyes must remain on my Savior at all times, as I follow Him to the places He leads. My entire existence revolves around Jesus, and with every step I take, I should be chasing after Him. Those I come in contact with, the beautiful friendships I make here in Uganda, are the effect of that chase. Burdens will be lightened as my new friends and I earnestly chase after Christ hand-in-hand. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Christ has the rest weary souls need. I don't have to make everything right.

My world revolves around worshiping my Savior. As the tidal wave of grace and love comes from that lifestyle, I will be a witness to changed lives, burdens lifted, problems solved, and broken hearts mended. Even if I tried with everything I am, I would never be able to imagine a more beautiful life than the Christian life! I choose to keep my eyes on Christ. I desire to see His beauty unfold around me. I deeply desire this to be my way of life.

I choose to let my ministry be about Christ, and Christ alone. I choose to let my compassion point to Christ, and not weigh down the burdens. I choose to chase Him with ever fiber in my being.