I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16

My tendency to lead a lukewarm spiritual life does not become altered based on where I serve in the world. True soul changing and heart yielding is up to me and my desire to be in closer relationship with God.

A change of scenery, a change of pace, a change of country and a change of church will not change how strongly my heart beats for God. All of these things can be good to gain new experiences and perspectives while ushering me out of my normal routines, but often I fall back into the “convenient for me” acts of serving in the Kingdom.

I left home for the country of Chile for a year, living with a local family, serving with a local church, and experiencing Chilean culture to its fullest, and I am loving it.

But living in Chile offers just as much distraction from God as I experienced back at home. God does not talk to me louder here or more frequently than back in California.

God is a beautiful constant regardless of where you are spiritually or physically. It is me who is cold or tepid or hot.

I left my home to serve in a different country, to step out in faith into a place with a new language, new customs, new people, and yes, I have experienced a different way of living out the Gospel here in Chile. Not because the King of Kings is more active here. He is always active even when I am to blind to see it. The different side of God that I am experiencing and loving and learning from is linked to the people here and the way they choose to serve God.

In Chile, time is rarely of importance. The culture and the people here are geared toward good conversations, strong community and serving each other even if that means we sit around talking and laughing at church for a few hours after Sunday services. The juxtaposition of the people here and their culture is so different from back home in the busy and time obsessed USA where tight schedules and time restraints are a norm.

I have learned daily what this more personal and intimate portion of the Kingdom of God is like, but do not be fooled into thinking that God and His moving is more important or easier to grasp for me here than at home.

Although the constant desire of my heart is to love God and to love others to the best of my ability, I am no stranger to battling the lure of a convenient relationship with God.

To be fully engaged in a relationship with God, to be an active believer and sharer of the Good News of Jesus Christ, I must actively and wholeheartedly pursue Him; just as He, The Creator of the Universe, pursues me relentlessly, meets me where I am, and loves me in the most profound way possible.

So here in Chile, while I spend nine more months serving, I will be constantly reminded that a change in location does not result in a change for a chronically tepid heart or soul.

The cure for a tepid life is daily seeking, loving and working on a relentless relationship with the one true God.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8