My wife and I have been talking about this a little lately.
How do you know if youre called to missions?
If we’re a Christian, then we probably recognize the need for missionaries. We recognize the need for taking the Gospel of Christ to people who either haven’t heard it, or haven’t heard it in a ‘relevant’ manner. No one denies that.
But what is it that actually ‘clicks’ in someone’s head or heart or soul….that says, “Hey, I should go do this!”? Is it just a greater realization of the need? Is it a specific, compelling urge to go do it, or is it a still, small voice heard in the depths of prayer that is a confirmation?
We’ve taken our youth group on mission trips before. A couple each year, actually. Some to rural North Carolina, some to the ghetto-licious parts of Jackson, MS. Some to Montgomery, Alabama. Some mission work even in our own hometown. But what about launching out and taking some pretty big steps. How do you know if your called to do something more than a week at a time?
I don’t claim any impressive skill set to be able to do great and mighty tasks. But there’s always been a small interest in seeing “what could be” with a missional sort of situation. The bigger part of me was probably in the “God, don’t send me to Africa” crowd. Because that’s what we grow up thinking missionaries are, right? People sitting on a tree stump, sleeping in a hammock surrounded by mosquitoes in the deep dark jungles of the Congo learning to make clicking sounds with our language and presenting the stories of Jesus on a felt board.
But is it a specific “call”? Or could it be just a light going off saying, “I see this as a need for God’s Kingdom. I, as a follower of Christ, am called, expected even, to join Jesus in His Kingdoms work. Therefore I should strongly consider jumping into this.”
I say all this with nothing really in mind. I’ve heard of tons of possibilities over the years…but just throwing all this out there. Random thoughts and everything, you know.
great post mate – have linked up with some rushed comments….
I've often found that God's 'call' in my life has been found in the repetition of a theme.
I knew when it was time for me to get baptised because everyone was talking about baptism everwhere I went. The theme kept coming up from even the most unlikely sources. Immediately after I obeyed and was baptised, no-one was talking about it anymore.
I've seen that happen for many other things since. It's not fool proof but it's one of the ways God uses to tap me on the shoulder.
Maybe I need to make extra sure I need to be listening to what's going on around me. What God could be telling me.
Thanks for the tips.
I think it's important to listen to whatever God's telling you. I think a 'call' is probably more like the 100th whisper…something that just keeps coming back – and eventually sticks.
We need therefore to remember that everything we do can be God's call – even down to sweeping floors or driving a taxi. I think often the 'missionary' aspect gets much more validation than those who choose secular employment.