On September 1st 2010 I (very accidentally) found myself sitting in a small café in Notting Hill, talking to three builders on their coffee break. I hadn't planned on being in London that day; I hadn't planned on being alone but neither had I planned to talk to these strangers. Even so, this day: talking to people; what I wrote; what I read; the snippets of conversation I heard around me; the bland, fake-European, class-confused coffee shop I hated and the surrounding area and architecture I loved - as underwhelming as it would appear to any onlooker- wazs one of the most important days of my year.I'm bad at spending time alone but at this time, being in a mix of an excruciating, prolonged reverse-culture shock yet on a huge spiritual high I had an incredible day.
Upon seeing that it was the Bible I was reading, one of the guys on the tables next to me started a conversation, eager to tell me what he thought.
Upon seeing that it was the Bible I was reading, one of the guys on the tables next to me started a conversation, eager to tell me what he thought.
"So you believe in all that?" he asked after explaining his views, vaguely pointing his cigarette towards my book.
"Every word" I responded confidently and we preceded to have a long, conclusion-less but enjoyable discussion about God.
That day I was happy- I loved every second I spent with God; I couldn't believe the time I'd just had in India and all the things He'd promised and revealed to me there, the confirmation I got from Him that the upcoming gap year really was His plan for me and I was excited like I hadn't been before for what was coming next in my walk with Him. I read and re-read John (and Job, as always) and He gave me a lot of conclusions to questions I'd been asking.
I was reminded of the time I'd spent with Him that day when I was in Notting Hill again last week. It made me realise how important it is to begin things (anything, everything) with Him. Something I've been trying to do over the year is have private God time at the beginning of each day which has taught me how valuable it is to offer every day to Him, begin in the right mindset and ask Him what His plans are for it.
That day I also read for the first time John 16:33 "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." At the time it didn't resonate how awesome those words Jesus said are but I highlighted them even so and a few days ago we were watching a talk by Louie Giglio as he spoke about hope and the power of the cross and the meaning of these words. It was an incredible sermon he did, and just the reminder I needed that God’s in control, something I knew so well that day back in September but somehow fought against, or forgot, or stopped trusting in.
We will suffer, but Jesus has overcome the world. I don't think there's much better than that.
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