ripe for the harvest

I put myself in a vulnerable position recently. I was talking with someone I had met briefly once or twice before, and I mentioned something about how all my friends were moving away, and I had given some consideration to that thought too.

I shared about how I haven't moved away mostly because I had been praying about this in the spring of 2019, and God sent me the same relevant Scripture twice in two different places: "When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest'" (Matthew 9:36-38).

I'm staying here because the laborers are few, and God has work for me to do here. And, although the cultural climate here often feel hostile to me, that isn't a Godly reason to leave in and of itself. Missionaries don't go to other countries to overthrow regimes or bring a lifestyle, they go to preach the Gospel and love people as Jesus did.

The guy I was talking to told me something to the effect of, "I'm not a Christian, but if I may give you some practical advice: The people don't want that kind of help. And you can't help people who don't want help." I think he's right, to a considerable extent. You can't help people who don't want help. And there are a lot of seemingly hardened hearts around here.

But I refuse to give up. I do not believe that God has abandoned California. It is not too late for a revival here. I have heard stories, and seen a few of my own, of people turning to God when all common sense would suggest that they would never do such a thing.

California is ripe for the harvest. Lord, I pray that you will show me the work that you have for me to do.

(Side note: It is interesting that in the six days between when this conversation happened and I finally got around to posting this, something happened to reveal that the work God has for me here is not exactly what I thought it would be. God hasn't clearly told me to go anywhere else, but I'm listening for what is to come.)