This blog is about how God is working through me presently and what our ministry will look like here in Costa Rica.
I’m gonna be real and vulnerable. A value I hope to uphold while I continue blogging. When pursuing God, He reveals a lot of brokenness. That may sound scary, but when conviction comes, with Jesus it is an encouragement to continue to run towards the Father. To show us more and more how much we need Christ, and to be able to grow as we pursue Him. I really didn’t do well with conviction a short time ago. I would choose to take it more like condemnation or to just ignore it. I am choosing to see my greater brokenness as a gift to be able to work through it with God.
Performance. People pleaser. These are not my labels. My label is a son of God. These are just problems I deal with. The thought that what I do matters to God and others. Setting high standards on myself. Feeling like I need to put the world on my shoulders.
While here in Costa Rica, God has placed me in a perfect ministry for these issues. That this is something He wants to work through with me. The ministry focuses on development. Not relief or rehabilitation. Not going to DO things. So often American culture’s tendency is to want and go do things and how much we do is how successful we are. Rather, in this ministry, it is to see the needs and support those that have the passions to change Costa Rica. To empower others. To not be an external source, but to rather enter in internally and support those who desire to live in their identity with Christ and make big changes.
American culture likes to fix things right away. We like to see the results. The change. How much can we do in this time we are here? How many people can I feed? How many houses can I build? What numbers can I bring back to those back home to show them how much I did? It may make us feel good about what we did. This approach can sometimes be helpful, but in a lot of circumstances it can create a continued divide between us and those we serve.
It is focusing on the process rather than the product. Creating lasting, eternal change. Yes, it might be hard to visually see the impact. People may look in on the outside and question your impact. Where are the numbers? What did you do? But I am realizing it is going through the process with God’s power that makes the true change.
We aren’t the answer. Jesus is. We need to take a step back and ask God how He wants to use us. I realize that I was trying to go before God. I take on unnecessary burdens. That it is not my job to change someone’s life. Who I follow is the testimony to where I’ve come, so I need to stop feeling like I have to be God to everyone. In this year, and in Costa Rica especially, I have felt the Lord speak fellowship over me. To be relationship oriented and not task oriented. To build lasting, impactful relationships that make powerful disciples for God’s kingdom. Receiving the blessings of discipleship in a way that I grow as much as those I serve. It is a long process, and doesn’t give us the satisfaction of immediate results. But God calls us into relationship with one another as His people.
Enjoy my presence. God has spoken this over me. To simply enjoy His presence and His love with the people here. To not emphasize performance, but emphasize relationships. I am excited about choosing into fellowship. That I am not focusing myself on how many tasks I can do, but rather building impactful relationships that sparks change from those who have God-given gifts, talents, and abilities to make a lasting change in Costa Rica. To walk in the freedom of Christ and His loving grace. Christ doesn’t tell us we need to perform to be loved and saved, He calls us to have faith in Him. We are all broken. We all need saving. We are all unified under one name, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. I am not here in Costa Rica to perform, but to live in unity with the people here under the name of Jesus.
To God be all the glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
The ministry is focused around the book “When Helping Hurts.” The name of the ministry is Til He Returns if you would like to research it more. Thanks!
You are speaking to me, Sammy! I understand what you are saying and I understand that we have been conditioned to be doers. I’m still that way because it’s easier for me than being in conversation with strangers. I am definitely a Martha – but would really like being a Mary. I will certainly keep prayers going for you and your team as you walk in the light of Christ and develop lasting relationships with new friends. Loving you always, Gramma Jean
“It is focusing on the process rather than the product” AMEN AMEN!! also retweet to what she said ^^ not being a martha but a mary. Who sits at the feet of the father and knows the sweetest place to be is to be loved by the Father. WHOAH. fellowship man. pretty gnarly.
How wise you are in understanding our culture’s emphasis on “doing!” Numbers aren’t important-relationships are! You have the tools to be significant in that most important endeavor! God is asking you to trust Him more. You are. He wants you to move into an even deeper intimacy with Him than you’ve ever known! That will spill out to all you come in contact with. Be relentless Samson! Trust with all your heart! Joy and blessings to you! Cheryl Pittman
Good stuff, so easy to get performance driven. It is Christ in you and the faith you have, powering the doing, nurturing the relationships and allowing God to make it happen.
Fellowship! Enjoy His presence! Our God is a God of relationship. I love how the Lord changes our heart and perspective on why and how we do things. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” Thank you for sharing your heart. Luvya
Catching up with you Samson and glad I did! Some great insights for our lives and how we should approach our lives to live in relationships with God and people and let the Holy Spirit work and God to bless through our lives surrendered to Christ! That is love and peace!
Oh, Samson, I was enlightened by the mature wisdom in your blog. Certainly relationships are of extreme importance in evangelism. Without a loving, caring relationship we cannot hope to present the Gospel in a believable manner. Jesus certainly gave us a role model for that. And what is beautiful about these deep, meaningful relationships is that they lead us to DO things for others, not with any ulterior motive other than love. We cannot discount the element of doing, but it should not result from a desire to glorify ourselves.
To give you something to think about, I am sharing one of my favorite passages from James.
Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Love you so much, our dear warrior. Keep the blogs coming. Grams
Hi Samson. I am a wee embarrassed by this lengthy response. I accidentally copied more of the book of James than I intended and attached it by mistake. Oh well, you knew your Grams was no techie genius. I know you love me anyway!