Adjusting to Being Still

Even if you've been to a country 3 times before, adjusting to the new place is never easy. Some of my adjusting has to do with being here on my own when I'm used to being with a team. Some adjustments have been easier to adapt to than others. Some I will probably not completely adjust to the whole time I’m here. Here are the things that I’ve been adjusting to this past week:

• Waking up routinely in the middle of the night because your body hasn't adjusted to the new time zone
• Cold showers
• Cultural differences on plans and communication/Not knowing what you will be doing from day to day
• Being reliant on others for transportation/Only being able to walk to a few places and not being able to walk alone after dark (Feeling cooped up)
• Working and living with people you have only just met
• Limited access to the internet/Feeling disconnected from people at home

About mid week, all of these things added up to feeling pretty overwhelmed. However, I was encouraged by Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” I realized that I was being impatient with these adjustments and wanted to be used to being here immediately. I needed to just rest in where I was and know that things would sort out over time. It was ok to not have anywhere to go or things to do. Being still is a discipline that I could definitely learn how to do better, and God is giving me that opportunity.