What's Stopping You?
What's Stopping You?
It can be thrilling when you first sense the call to serve in overseas mission! The excitement continues as you begin to explore what that might look like in practice – discerning where and how you want to serve and discussing possibilities with a mission agency. But over time, the process of preparing to go can become quite daunting as some of its realities begin to set in.
In this four-part article we take an honest look at some of the obstacles that can be in the way of you following your calling to serve overseas, and how God is at work in the midst of it all.
1. I'm Not Cut Out for Mission!
Have you ever felt called to overseas mission but thought you weren’t the right person to go? When thinking about engaging in cross-cultural mission, sometimes we can feel like the biggest barrier is ourselves. It can be so easy to have self-doubt:
Am I really cut out for mission?
The thought of sharing my faith with a stranger terrifies me!
Wouldn’t somebody more skilled or more outgoing than me be better?
How can God use me?
Certain roles and skills often come to mind when thinking about mission, such as doctors, evangelists, engineers, and preachers. We also tend to think of bold, outgoing personalities who are willing to proclaim the gospel to everyone they meet. Maybe you feel like you would make a second-class missionary as you’re not trained in any of these professions or you’re not naturally bold and outgoing. Perhaps you think somebody else would do a better job.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 is an encouragement to all who have ever questioned God’s calling because of self-doubt:
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
Paul even goes on to say that he proclaimed the gospel to the Corinthians ‘in weakness with great fear and trembling’ (1 Corinthians 2:3).
God gives you the gifts you need
To go on cross-cultural mission, you don’t need to be the boldest, the most outgoing, or have the strongest set of skills. If God is calling you, there is a place for you and the talents he has equipped you with. An enormous diversity of skills and spiritual gifts are helpful on the mission field: hospitality, befriending, serving others, chatting, encouragement, admin, IT, teaching, language learning – the list is endless.
Of course, there are always more skills to be learned and more confidence to be gained, but these will come with time. Entering the mission field with humility and with prayerfulness that God will use and guide you is far better than going in thinking you have all the answers.
In some places, where openly evangelising can be illegal, gifts typically associated with mission, such as street evangelism and preaching, are generally much less helpful than some of the others we’ve looked at. The most helpful skills are ones that build relationships, or that support and enable others to do so. As we make new friends, we can have deeper conversations about faith, God, and the meaning of life, and we can continually study the Bible with those seeking Jesus.
2. God in the Waiting
David was a young man when God made him aware of his calling. In a dramatic encounter with the Lord, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and his future mission was prophesied over him. At first, things seemed to move very quickly in the direction of his vocation, but then he was hit with setback after setback. Years went by and he seemed further than ever from being able to do the things he had been called to.
A time of discouragement and frustration?
This is a familiar story to many who are called to cross-cultural mission. It can take years of preparation before reaching the mission field. Changes of circumstance can slow down the process, such as difficulties with health or the need to care for a family member. In parts of the world there can be further obstacles, such as complications with visas, health insurance, or civil unrest. It can feel like an ‘in-between time,’ where you are prevented from carrying out your calling. It can be easy to become discouraged and frustrated, and to question whether you heard God’s call correctly.
The young man in the story was, of course, King David. Decades passed between Samuel anointing him as king and him ascending to the throne. His thoughts and feelings during this time have been recorded in some of the Psalms; from great joy to deep depression and doubt. This wasn’t just an ‘in-between time,’ God used it to shape David’s character and to prepare him for his future ministry. He learned how to depend completely on God and live a life of prayer and worship. He gained wisdom and leadership skills that became invaluable for his calling.
A time for preparation
If you feel stuck in a period of waiting, you are in very good company. God spent hundreds of years shaping the Israelites into the kind of nation he wanted them to be before they inherited the promised land. Many of the great Biblical figures and missionaries of history went through years of setbacks between their initial calling and seeing the fruit of their ministries.
These are not just ‘in-between times,’ but essential times of preparation in which God develops our character, perseverance, and trust in Him, and in which we gain skills, knowledge, and resources that will be vital for our time on the mission field. Rather than focusing on what you haven’t been able to do yet, focus on what God is doing in your life now, and keep asking the question, “What is God teaching me here?”
3. Counting the Cost
Following God’s call to overseas mission is one of the most rewarding, life-giving things you can do. However, it can also involve making painful, personal sacrifices. There are heavy costs involved, and it’s important to be prepared for them. In Mark 8:34-35 (NIV), Jesus said:
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Carrying your cross
One of the biggest sacrifices involved in going overseas is the physical distance from your family and friends. I vividly remember the pain I felt when saying goodbye to my family at the airport at the start of my first mission trip. Walking away from them, knowing I wouldn’t see them again for a year, was one of the most difficult things I’d ever done. Instant messaging and video calls make this a lot easier than it was for missionaries of the past, but it’s still painful to give up physical closeness to your loved ones.
Another lesser-known sacrifice is the loss of sense of identity that often comes with culture shock. You know where you fit within your own cultural context and community. These things give you an understanding of who you are, as do your relationships, career, and ministries. Giving up these things can be disorientating as you need to rediscover yourself and your place in a completely new context. Sometimes it can even feel like you have two different lives!
There can be many other sacrifices too, depending on where you are called to go. In some contexts, you may need to give up comfort and convenience to live simply. For some, singleness can be a cost of going overseas as they struggle to find potential partners in their contexts.
There will be an element of loss wherever you go. It’s important to remember that the loss you feel is normal and you can and should grieve those losses.
God of all comfort
God knows our pain more than we do, and He longs to comfort us and be close to us in the midst of it all. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NIV), Paul tells us:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
Sacrifice of praise
Alongside the sacrifices, there is so much to be gained through going on overseas mission. Just as you lose something of yourself in giving up cultural contexts and communities, you gain so much in discovering your place in new ones! Particularly in the Arab world, where people are so hospitable and it’s common for families to welcome you in as one of their own. There’s so much joy to be found in making new friendships, and you learn so much about life and yourself in discovering a new culture. It is through these friendships that you will likely play your part in seeing people come to faith and grow in their discipleship.
The sacrifices of long-term mission are huge, but it’s so worth it to follow God’s calling on your life. Jesus gave up everything for us through the agony of the cross to bring about the overwhelming joy of the resurrection. So, we too must give up everything that He requires of us to play our part in bringing the good news of His resurrection to those who have yet to hear it.
4. Raising Personal Support
A few years ago, I was sitting in my room late at night, thinking about my upcoming year-long mission trip and feeling anxious about the money I needed to raise. In that moment, it seemed like an impossibly large sum of money, and I only had a few months left to raise it. I had hoped to start fundraising long beforehand, but every time I thought about it, I found the anxiety of the idea of asking for money filled me with dread. And that’s exactly what I felt in that moment too.
God’s provision
I said a simple prayer acknowledging that God can provide for my every need, asking for forgiveness for my procrastination, and committing myself to start more actively raising support and asking for God’s blessing on my efforts. A few minutes later I heard the letterbox rattle. I went downstairs and saw that a crumpled bundle of paper had been pushed through. It was nearly midnight, so I was very dubious about what might be inside. I unwrapped it and found £500 in cash, with an anonymous note saying it was for my upcoming mission trip!
What an answer to prayer! From that moment I knew first-hand that I could trust in God to provide.
Giving others the chance to partner with you is a blessing, not a burden.
A mutual blessing
Raising support for mission can be a daunting experience. The idea of asking people for money might fill you with dread, as it did for me! It may feel like begging for money, but it is much more about partnership. When you ask somebody to support you, you give them the opportunity to participate in the work that God has called you to do. It allows them to play a part in God’s mission in a context that they might otherwise never have had the opportunity to get involved in. It enables them to share in the joys of the fruit of God’s work as you share the gospel with unreached people. It’s a blessing and a privilege to be able to give, just as it is to receive. Giving others the chance to partner with you is a blessing to them, not a burden.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. – 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
More than money can buy
Support raising is about much more than just raising money! It’s about building up a network of people that are committed to supporting and encouraging you and lifting you up in prayer. Overseas mission is a big commitment, and it’s so important to know that you aren’t alone in the task. It’s a huge blessing to have people that regularly keep in touch while you’re on the mission field, who you know you can count on for support and prayer.
If you’re currently raising support for an upcoming mission trip, why not think about those in your life who you would like to pray for you during that time and ask God to give you the boldness to ask for their financial support as well.
We're here to help!
No matter where you are in your mission journey, we are here to support you in any way you need. Our mission mentors will be happy to chat with you and pray for you and even help you find a way to serve, if you're ready to start looking. Whether you're ready to commit long-term or you've only just now sensed God calling you to serve cross-culturally, we'd love to hear about it. Get in touch!
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