Now back home in Manchester UK, I’ve had time to reflect on the last two months of 2016, where I found myself doing quite a bit of travelling. Not only had I been travelling around different towns and countries, I’d also spent time moving in God's presence and learning more about Him.
Every day forward in the world, my understanding of the King develops and my relationship with Him deepens.
Taking a risk, an invitation to trust
It all started as I left Australia to go to Japan late last year with 10 fellow YWAM friends on a mission trip. None of us really understood what we were doing, and the language barrier made communication difficult. I soon realised this is what it’s like going forward with an understanding of our 'Father'. We are not always sure what to expect, what we are hoping for, or what might happen along the way. However, when we have Jesus we can go forward with trust, believing that all things are possible.
This is exactly what happened when I arrived in Japan. I landed in a foreign country with a new language and symbols that people from our team didn't understand, and we had to ask the Lord to guide us. The experience allowed me to see this is exactly what happened constantly in the Bible. Moses and the Israelites come to mind as an example of a group of people who simply allowed the Lord to guide them. In our case, we found our way with no problem when we asked the Lord to guide us. If we are trusting God, then we have no worries about going forward. I found this to be true when speaking to people in Japan. Most of the time they did not understand me or know why I had specifically come to Japan. However, whilst there I found I was able to communicate with them and have very successful conversations with each of them. It was very interesting learning more about their culture.
Trusting God to help us pray
This is what I have found when talking to God: sometimes we don't know what to ask him or how to speak, but when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and take that the first step, the Holy Spirit will guide us. By praying with this vulnerability and trust, our relationship grows with our Father and maker. This was a lesson I learned during my Discipleship Training School (DTS) at YWAM. It thought me how to prosper from and go forward in my relationship with God. He is always speaking to us, and if we take that first step like Samuel did in 1 Samuel 3, listening attentively to God's voice and answering, we are able to hear His voice more clearly.
Lessons learnt on the journey
These are all areas that I believe are involved in a successful journey: communication, taking risks and a desire to pursue something further.
After learning this vital lesson out on the mission field for six weeks, I realised I could put this into practice when I returned to the English speaking world. After retuning to Coffs Harbour for two weeks I was able to communicate with people in my own language. It meant that wherever I went I felt even stronger going forward.
In summary, the greatest lesson I have ever learned from journeying is to take a risk in going wherever God sends you. If you take the risk, God will meet you there.
Mike Burr is back in Manchester, England, he has a marketing degree and several years working in the corporate world. Mike was in Australia for six months at a YWAM Discipleship Training School in Byron Bay, NSW.
Mike Burr's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mike-burr.html