Coincidences or Competition?

Both the temperature and humidity were high in the open-air classroom in Pyay, Myanmar. The students and faculty of the Asho Chin Theological Seminary paid close attention, seeking to understand what the translator and I were saying. As I explained honor competition, I asked if they could think of biblical examples. As if in response, the roosters who wandered the campus began their version of an honor game. Not to be outdone, a pair of dogs entered the fray. The audience seemed oblivious, but I fought to stay focused. Even with a microphone, I didn’t stand a chance of winning. Was I seeing coincidences or honor competition? If a competition, who were the real competitors—the dogs, roosters, and I? Or was the real battle on another plane?

Coincidences?

Our team (my husband Harry, our friend Bob, and I) faced multiple challenges during our time in Hong Kong, Myanmar, and the Philippines. I’ll share a sampling:

Two weeks of conversations with our Hong Kong friends exposed deep divides over the current protests within families, friends, churches, and the city. People expressed struggles with discouragement and hopelessness. Although we never felt threatened, we felt the weight of their pain and our anguish as we faced the destruction of a city we love.
The six-hour drive from Yangon, Myanmar to Pyay requires sharing the narrow, well-traveled, and unlit road with dogs, cars, vans, large trucks, pedestrians, oxcarts, tractors, and countless motorbikes darting in and out of traffic.
The seminary president and several helpers journeyed with us to Pyay. One of our two vehicles developed problems during the trip and could only travel 20 mph, turning a six-hour drive into a nine-hour drive.
Our driver for the week fell down the stairs the night we arrived in Pyay. His six-day hospital stay forced our host to find a substitute driver.
Oppressive heat and humidity sapped our strength so that maintaining focus was challenging.
A motorbike ran into our van as we were returning to the hotel on the first night of teaching. (It attempted to pass us as we were making a left turn. Although injured, the riders walked away from the accident.)
Some days we had no electricity—meaning no fans, lights, microphones, or PowerPoint.
One morning as we rode to the seminary, we found ourselves in the middle of a Buddhist parade.

We faced no life-threatening situations, only an unusual number of distracting ones. By our second day in Pyay, we noticed and questioned why. Were the disruptions and disturbances coincidences or something more?

What Am I Missing?

Whenever I see a preponderance of difficulties, I wonder what I’m missing. Is someone orchestrating the coincidences? Who wins if we get sidetracked from our mission? If the evil one is busy, I assume it’s because he knows God is busy, and he’s trying to interfere in what God is trying to accomplish.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…
1 Peter 5:8-9

We must pay attention to what’s happening, but we must also pay attention to our response.

Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

Trials reveal our priorities. Will we honor God by accepting trials as opportunities for growth? Or will we honor the accuser by allowing the difficulties to determine our attitudes and actions? God uses trials to test and strengthen our faith. But we must do our part—consider them joy and let perseverance finish its work. We choose how we respond to the testing of our faith, either with joy or self-pity. We can either note the personal weaknesses our trials expose and work with God to turn those weaknesses into strengths. Or we can allow trials to consume and destroy us. Who receives honor from the way we face trials?

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