Korea, Waiting on God, and the Blessings of Today
writing because it's been too long
It’s almost two years since I left Korea. That equals the time I lived there. Lately I’ve been marveling at how greatly those two years influenced my life, and I wanted to acknowledge that impact by sharing some thoughts.
Korea became home for me. I loved its natural beauty, the language, the culture, the food, and most of all, the people. I believe that one day God will guide my steps back there, but I don’t know when.
So I guess this blog is also about waiting on God. It’s about accepting what God is giving me now, and not pining for what He hasn’t. I’ve realized that it’s a struggle common to all of Christ’s followers: we have to surrender our own wishes and recognize that God’s will is best.
But as I read from Amy Carmichael yesterday, “To accept the will of God never leads to the miserable feeling that it is useless to strive any more.” (From a beautiful article on Plough entitled “Embracing God’s Will”) In my own words, accepting the will of God leads to peace and joy that nothing else can give.
Of course, coming to a place of acceptance takes a fierce struggle. Why? Because I cling to my own ideas and doubt His love. I want to write my own story, but what a relief when once again I give the pen back to God and say as Mary did, “here I am, Lord, may it be with me according to your Word”.
So while I wait and pray for the day when God guides me back to Korea, I am choosing to see what He’s doing right here, right now. The relationships I formed in the two years I spent in Korea have endured separation. Thanks to technology, I can stay connected with friends and families I lived with or met there.
Additionally, a bit of a Koreatown atmosphere has developed in the Bruderhof community I live at in Pennsylvania. There are enough of us—Koreans or Americans who spent a few months or years in our Korean community—that we like to keep a supply of kimchi in our communal kitchen and occasionally get together to prepare traditional food for ourselves or the wider community.
I love hearing my Korean brothers and sisters communicating freely in their own language. I try to speak in Korean as well, although I’m far from fluent. When I’m invited to one of their houses, I feel completely at home and value our conversations. Now I realize the blessing of those two years in Korea, and I thank God for opening my eyes to a new culture and people to love and learn from.
