My spirit felt so dark those starting months in that foreign land. For numerous reasons, I had less than two hours of "training" before I entered the plane. The loss, the emptiness, the helplessness (how was I supposed to get toilet paper when the locals didn't even use it?) was all normal, but back then, I'd barely heard of the phrase “culture shock”. Self-doubt seemed to jump on my downward spiral, and though not voiced, I wondered if God even saw me. 

"Happy Birthday, Paula!" In the extended palm of a yet-to-be-friend, a tiny shriveled apple lay. "You mentioned apples were your favorite fruit," she said to me in her Aussie accent, "I knew right then I had to give you the last of my batch." 

What a gift. Apples were rarely found in the bush of Beni, and I understood the love behind her offer. God saw, and His compassion worked through the hand of this woman.

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Psalm 103:13-14

God knows how we are formed. Just like dust, He knows we'd be in the grave without Him.

God goes beyond just knowledge though: it leads Him to action. His action, in fact, is probably integral to why you live where you do:

"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'" Matthew 9:36

His compassion is over you, and yet it is also working through prayer to guide you.

Hang onto this: not only does God have compassion for you, He has compassion on all who are weary. Our loving shepherd is extending His hand full of love toward you just as you extend your hand, full of His love, toward others.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not." Lamentations 3:22