Life in the Jungle: Feeling forced

Here in the jungle, we have been invited by God and our ministry hosts to do things we probably wouldn’t do in our normal lives.  It was yesterday morning that the Lord highlighted James 1:22-24 to me and He brought the word, “forced” to me and I wondered as to why.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 

I thought about how easy it is to forget who we’ve been called to be, and how it looks like to follow Jesus. It was until today at lunch that God gave me this revelation of how we may, “feel forced” within today’s ministry day. Feeling forced to dive into the uncomfortable, the hard, and even into things that may seem “illogical” (due to lack of vision and understanding)… instead of being doers.

Today, my squad and I helped with:

• digging,
• hoeing,
• hick-axing, and
• wheel-barreling

dirt out of a measured section of the ground next to our host’s shed!

 It was fun, and we will soon be preparing the cement floor! It poured rain at least 3 times today, which made it harder to dig the dirt. It was a day full of so much fun, but it definitely was a day where some of us had to really pull through and dive into the uncomfortable, the hard, and the “illogical”. Choosing to be doers instead of hearers. 

Holy Spirit reminded me of Jesus and His willingness, and the willing heart the Father gives to His children. That includes my squad and I, and any of us that have Jesus. Our best friend, Jesus, is a major doer and He never felt or feels forced to love on us and work in us!

He willingly came into this world,

lived a humble life,  

died a gruesome death, 

ascended into the heavens,

gave us Holy Spirit,

intercedes for us to the Father

and will come back for us. <3

 I couldn’t imagine Jesus doing all of these things and feeling forced. I see Him looking into my eyes, smiling and saying, “I literally love loving on you and working in you. You are so worth it.” Wow… so, yeah… it is worth doing His work, even when it seems illogical, and/or it is uncomfortable and hard, for we will be blessed in our doing (James 1). 

Have you ever felt forced to do something you weren’t fond of? Do you know that if you have Jesus, He has already given you a willing, doer’s heart?! I encourage you to choose into what He’s already given you.

Until next time, with much love,

J<3