"Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered in grains, and enjoyed every day. It will not keep; it cannot be accumulated; nor have we got to go out of ourselves or into remote places to gather it, since it is rained down from Heaven, at our very doors." ~Tryon Edwards
I think I'm finally experiencing this thing that everyone warned me about called "culture shock." The constant, never ending struggle to adapt and understand is merciless. All of the little things I have to remember to do, and always working so hard to understand what people are saying leaves my brain a mushy, sticky, unhappy mess by the end of the day. Yesterday I was telling my mother about my struggles, and she said something rather profound.
"I AM proud of you," she said, "because even in the midst of all the yucky stuff you still manage to find fun and love - and that's an important quality to have throughout life."
It's amazing how much our perspective changes the events in our lives. I find it uncanny how a simple determination to see good things in your life makes so many more good things surface. It is boiling hot these days in Gyeongju - but the coastal breezes are lovely. It is incredibly difficult to live in a country in which I do not speak the language - but every day my Korean improves a little bit, and almost every day my efforts earn me a new friend or two. I do not understand the culture here at all, and feel lost so often - but a smile is universal, and always understood. I miss my friends and family from back home so much it hurts - but I am so blessed to have people in my life that I care about so deeply.
God did not promise that this life would be easy. But He also does not want this life to be miserable. There is always a positive side, always something that can be learned from every situation. Not to be trite, but every cloud really does have a silver lining. But, like Edwards said, happiness is not something that you can store up for later. You can't put it in your emotional bank account and cash in on it when you need it. It's a day by day experience. God wants us to be constantly looking for Him, constantly leaning on Him - not just on Sunday mornings or during church camps. Like the Israelites' manna, you have to choose to look for the joys in life every single day. So when life's got you down, shake yourself up, change up your perspective...and look for the manna.
I think I'm finally experiencing this thing that everyone warned me about called "culture shock." The constant, never ending struggle to adapt and understand is merciless. All of the little things I have to remember to do, and always working so hard to understand what people are saying leaves my brain a mushy, sticky, unhappy mess by the end of the day. Yesterday I was telling my mother about my struggles, and she said something rather profound.
"I AM proud of you," she said, "because even in the midst of all the yucky stuff you still manage to find fun and love - and that's an important quality to have throughout life."
It's amazing how much our perspective changes the events in our lives. I find it uncanny how a simple determination to see good things in your life makes so many more good things surface. It is boiling hot these days in Gyeongju - but the coastal breezes are lovely. It is incredibly difficult to live in a country in which I do not speak the language - but every day my Korean improves a little bit, and almost every day my efforts earn me a new friend or two. I do not understand the culture here at all, and feel lost so often - but a smile is universal, and always understood. I miss my friends and family from back home so much it hurts - but I am so blessed to have people in my life that I care about so deeply.
God did not promise that this life would be easy. But He also does not want this life to be miserable. There is always a positive side, always something that can be learned from every situation. Not to be trite, but every cloud really does have a silver lining. But, like Edwards said, happiness is not something that you can store up for later. You can't put it in your emotional bank account and cash in on it when you need it. It's a day by day experience. God wants us to be constantly looking for Him, constantly leaning on Him - not just on Sunday mornings or during church camps. Like the Israelites' manna, you have to choose to look for the joys in life every single day. So when life's got you down, shake yourself up, change up your perspective...and look for the manna.
Exodus 16:4-5
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” 
This is amazing...It's SO great to hear all that God is doing and to be encouraged by it, even half a world away...This is just what I've needed to hear, and God spoke it through your words and experience, so even though you may not see Him working, know that He is always working in and through you, whether you see it and feel it or not!!
ReplyDeleteMiss you friend
-Sylvain