Living faithful, fruitful and fulfilled on the mission field
Recent events at Willow Creek Church have saddened the global Christian community. I considered Bill Hybels one of my mentors from afar. He was a leader to many. I had never met him, but I’d gained much from his books, especially the one called “Courageous …
“I can handle quite a lot of difficulty and pain. I just don’t want my kids to suffer!” Most missionaries feel this way. If we couldn’t handle significant levels of discomfort, we wouldn’t have chosen this life. In my experience, missionaries have a higher than …
I can’t remember the last time I heard a sermon on holiness. In some ways, the move away from hellfire and brimstone preaching has been so important. We don’t want to coerce people to put their trust in Jesus because we’ve scared them to death! The gospel is a message of love and relationship, not fear. It could be though, that we’ve swung too far, in wanting to make the gospel attractive. Have we drifted away from calling people to something important to God?
God is holy. He is concerned that His people live holy lives. When we allow sinful behavior and influences to creep into our lives, we no longer reflect His glory and nature to a world that needs to see who He is – through us. It’s important to instruct ourselves (and those we disciple) to live as those “set apart” from the world. We are called to live and act in radically different ways from those who don’t yet know Christ.
When I was a teenager, I liked music. My favorite style was jazz. There was an artist named Al Jarreau, whose music made me feel happy and alive. He was not a Christian, nor did he play hymns and worship songs. Sometimes, when with my friends, I listened to music on the radio. The words were often ungodly. Some of the songs encouraged one toward drugs, sex, alcohol abuse, and worse.
My youth pastor at church invited a speaker to come and talk with us about rock music and the dangers of its influence. I remember them well. They talked about back-masking and all kinds of surprising things. When they played a popular band’s song backward you could sort of hear it saying “Worship Satan. Worship Satan.” We were shocked!
I loved God and vowed not to listen to that band anymore. Though I agreed with some things these people said, there was also something in me that didn’t like what they shared. “Not everything in the world that isn’t Christian is evil,” I thought to myself. I love Al Jarreau’s music. Do I have to throw away my albums and only listen to Christian bands? If I want to be holy and please God?
Perhaps there was a balance to be maintained. How could a person stay engaged with the world enough to relate to unbelievers well, while being holy enough to come before an awesome God?
My pursuit of the answer to that question has taken varied twists and turns since my teenage years. It is still a valid question to ask, though, one I return to once again today.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
The Bible is clear on this topic, whether we emphasize it or not. God is holy and He calls His people to live holy before Him. But what does that mean?
Let’s start with a quick review of some Biblical passages.
· You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. Leviticus 20:26 NIV
· As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”… 1 Pet 1:14-16 Berean Study Bible
In the Old Testament books of Exodus and Leviticus. there are many references to holiness. The Israelites were set apart from other nations around them. They were to be holy.
This is not only an Old Covenant command. It is repeated in the New Testament. We are not to conform to the world but to be transformed. Sanctification is the theological word for that process in our lives.
The Bible Project describes holiness this way, “Holiness is about more than being good and morally upstanding. … God’s holiness is his defining characteristic. It’s a term used in the Bible to describe both his goodness and his power. It is completely unique and utterly all-powerful, radiating from God like an energy.”
This is a big one in a day and age when there is so much division in both the church and in political settings. How do we treat those who have a different position from ours? Are we good listeners? Able to dialogue and show respect for other people’s viewpoints? Even learn from them?
Kindness is a very high value in the culture of Thailand, where we live. As Jesus followers, are we kinder than those who don’t know Jesus? Harsh and unkind attitudes do not reflect the goodness and glory of God. Let others see our love!
While being kind, it doesn’t mean we are comfortable around sin. As we walk in holiness, we must hate sin. What we need to be careful about is that we do not hate sinners too. When you hear God’s name taken in vain, does it make you uncomfortable? What about when we see things in films or T.V.? It is easy to grow accustomed to sin and stop even noticing it. Our conscience can become desensitized to things we used to feel were wrong. We can even become numb to perverse sexual behavior when we participate in them by silently watching those things in films or on TV.
We are in the world but not of it. This means we have a completely different set of values and priorities. It is easy to be influenced by materialism or the obsession with status and climbing the ladder of achievement. Money and the making of money need to take their rightful place in our lives as believers. If all our extra time is spent on pleasure, or making enough money to get ahead in life, are we that different from the non-believer down the street?
As the New Year begins, I’ve been particularly challenged to consider this. What do I put in my mouth and what do I put in my soul (through what I watch)? Am I feeding my body what it needs to be healthy or a diet of junk food that satisfies for a short time only?
Our soul food comes through what we watch, what we read, and what we expose ourselves to. Pornography is a huge problem, even among Christian leaders. If that is something that’s been a challenge for you, seek help and freedom. There is support for this issue available and the Lord desires to set you free.
As we pursue holiness we say no to things that are not good for our minds and hearts to absorb.
Have you drifted away from a pursuit of holiness? We cannot say we are pursuing God and not pursue holiness. Nor can we pursue holiness apart from God.
Start the New Year with a fresh commitment to holy living. Let’s reflect the love, glory, and purity of God to a world that is desperate to see it’s possible to live free and whole. We are set apart!
It’s Christmas Eve here in Thailand. The sun is about to rise. I’m drinking my morning coffee and gazing at the candle glowing on my living room table. The lights on the Christmas tree flicker. Soon I’ll begin baking and cooking, preparing a special meal …
Needing a visa to live in the country you call home can be a huge pain! Visa related issues cause tremendous stress in the lives of many missionaries. “You have 24 hours to leave.” These are the dreaded words every missionary hopes to never …
“Change will be a constant,” the speaker said. My mind knew what he said was true, but my heart rebelled. “I don’t like change!” a voice screamed inside my head. Our missionary lives are filled with disruption. It is the reality we face as Christian workers abroad, now, more than ever.
Change is difficult, but we can respond with grace.
Last week, one of my students faced a challenging disruption. In the Getting Started in Disciple Making Movements course, we have Whatsapp communities. These small groups support and encourage one another.
I’m a member of all the groups, but we have amazing moderators who primarily interact with those communities. Not long ago, as I do almost daily , I was scanning the messages in the groups, pausing to pray for different students. A chat caught my eye.
“We weren’t able to board our plane. There was a problem with our passports. We are on our way home and are so disappointed!” Those weren’t her exact words, but that was the gist of what she shared with her group.
My heart went out to my fellow struggler. It’s not fun to face rejection at the airport. Not fun at all! You pack up your family, say your goodbyes, go to the airport, and then…you aren’t able to leave for the field you planned to go to. Hopes and dreams are put on hold through a significant, painful delay.
This isn’t the only disruption I’ve seen or experienced in the past few months. Dear friends in India are facing massive disruption. A new wave of COVID-19 is sweeping through their nation. Hundreds of fellow workers and friends are hospitalized, on ventilators, or scrambling to get medical care. Some have gone on to heaven.
Disruption. It’s so tough.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV.
Some traditions teach us to ignore emotions. “Keep your chin up!” we say. “God is in control. Praise His name!” Sometimes even hearing scripture verses quoted grates on my spirit. Let me explain.
Though I deeply believe in the truth of Romans 8:28, it is often not the right thing to quote to someone in the midst of a crisis. It’s not always the right thing to say to yourself either!
God is a loving, relational God. He wants us to talk to Him about our feelings and struggles. Our Father is there to hold and carry us through these tough times. Pretending we are okay, when deep inside we are not, isn’t useful. Be real with God and with yourself in times of sudden change.
Take time to grieve the loss caused by disruption. It is biblical and appropriate to do this. There is a whole book of the Bible called Lamentations after all!
In times of stress and trial, we can be tempted to isolate. Not being real about our struggle is a form of isolation. We hide behind statements where we say the right thing, while inside we are suffering deeply.
God designed us to need genuine community and fellowship with others in His body. We were made for relationships, not isolation. The first step toward navigating disruption with grace is to open up to trusted friends and share your challenges. Let them encourage, minister to you and pray for you.
This can be especially difficult for those who carry titles like Pastor, Missionary, or Leader. We falsely believe we have to stay strong for others. Your transparency about the pain of disruption is important. It gives others you lead permission to be real as well.
Our lives are not our own. As disciples of Jesus, we are those who have deeply surrendered to His will. When faced with a crisis or disruption, go back to that place of radically letting go of the right to control your own life. Surrender releases peace. You may not like what is happening. But you choose to accept it. You choose to let go of needing to be in control of timing, process, outcome, relationships or anything else you are tightly holding on to.
“My life is yours, Lord. Help me trust you in this season” is a simple breath prayer I often pray.
God wants to give us peace in times of plenty, and times of want. He is there to calm our storms and to calm our hearts. Let’s welcome Him in.
When the next unexpected disruption hits, how will you respond?
Missionary teams go through hard seasons. Disagreements, leadership crises, or a high turnover of staff can leave everyone feeling insecure. Or, you might experience a major traumatic event that shakes everyone’s foundations. Another difficulty can be when there is a lack of focus or momentum. …
There is nothing like learning a new language to make you feel like a total idiot! It’s humbling. Sometimes it’s humiliating. For months and even years- it can feel like forever- you speak at the level of a two or three-year-old child. Then, after much …
“I can’t believe it! That’s not what I understood from the website,” my husband exclaimed. We’d just gotten a response from the embassy saying we were not eligible for the type of visa we’d applied for. A few days before, a friend planned to go to another country for training. At the last moment, he was told the borders had closed due to the pandemic. He’d sacrificed much to take this trip. Now the door was tightly shut. Visa issues are a big deal for missionaries. They create great stress. It is important that we actively guard our hearts in the midst of them.
Our hearts are fickle and vulnerable. They are the place our feelings and emotions are housed. What happens in our heart impacts the rest of our lives significantly. That is why the Psalmist spoke so strongly.
Most people are predominantly thinkers or feelers. Even if you are primarily a thinker, feelings matter. Both to you and to those around you. We all must learn to guard our hearts.
Our thoughts impact our feelings deeply. As we learn to control our thought life, it has an impact on our hearts.
For years I was quite unaware of my feelings. I’m predominantly a thinker. Suppressed feelings can lead to depression. It’s important to allow ourselves to feel. We can grow in our ability to notice what is happening in our hearts. I did, anyway!
I’ve written about this before, but I learned in the midst of a marriage crisis, to do something called an Emotional Jug. Doing that each day was part of paying attention to my heart.
When visa situations cause frustration and anger, it’s good to acknowledge that. When we decided to serve God cross-culturally, we might not have known we would face difficult visa issues. We were ready to eat strange food, to face persecution, and to suffer physical hardship. But visa issues? Really? You might be saying “I didn’t sign up for this!” I know my husband and I have felt that way at times.
The following are things we can do to guard our hearts at any time. They are especially important when we are facing visa challenges or fighting immigration battles.
Don’t supress your feelings. We need to give room to them, without giving them control. We don’t gain by a “stuff it in” or “suck it up” mentality. Instead, we need to find a safe person or safe way to let these things out so they don’t destroy our hearts. Emotional jugs have served me well in this. Finding a friend who can do this with you works well. Or, you can do this just with God by journaling.
God created us in His image. This means that like Him, we feel. Jesus felt sad and angry at times. This is not sin, it is part of being human.
Our feelings however are just that…they are feelings. They are not fact. They are not truth. Our feelings do not need to control us. We can control them.
“I can’t help how I feel,” you might say. Actually, you can. Your feelings are controlled and directed by your thought life.
As you acknowledge your feeling, ask yourself what thought was prompting that feeling. For example, I might feel angry because my visa was denied. As I acknowledge my anger, I see that I’m mad at the government for not letting me back in the country. I’m thinking judgmental things like “This government is stupid! Why can’t they be fairer? Their website is not up to date. They are inefficient and incompetent!” Hmm. I need to take control of my thoughts and examine them, these thoughts are triggering my feelings.
I ask God to help me see what is truth and what isn’t.
To continue with that example, I then say to myself something like, “Actually, this government is not stupid. They are trying to protect their nation against the wrong people coming in for the wrong reasons. This is part of good governance. Yes, sometimes these rules are not helpful to me, but they are trying to help their country and their people.”
Truth turns my feelings around. I’m able to feel more gracious toward that government.
I go on to remind myself of the truth about God. He is sovereign over governments. All throughout the Bible, I see Him raising up and bringing down leaders of nations. God is the One who opens and shuts doors for me, His servant. He is more than able to open the visa door for me at the right time. I don’t need to be angry with any government. I can trust God to work as I pray. When it is time for me to go, if it’s the right place for me, God will open the door.
Speak the truth to your heart about who God is.
Whether it is a visa issue, or another stressful issue, such as a health or financial problem, be good to yourself in these times. It is okay, and even right and good, to be nice to yourself! Is there some way you can do something special for yourself to boost your emotions?
I will sometimes go for a walk in a beautiful garden. I love flowers and this is a special treat for me. Make yourself some kind of special food, or schedule a long phone call with a friend you enjoy talking to. This too is part of guarding your heart.
Whether you are going through a visa issue now or will face one in the future, perhaps this blog has given you some fresh ideas. I wish I could tell you that visa issues won’t be part of your life as a missionary, but I’d be lying. Almost everyone faces them at some point.
When you do, guard your heart well.
What can you do this week to guard your heart?
Let me know in the comments below or on the Missionary Life Facebook group.
This is a busy time of the year. I won’t write a full blog post today as I am traveling to visit my parents and wish them a merry Christmas. I do want to take this moment to wish you a very Happy Christmas. A …