On Missions

It saddens and frustrates me that when most people consider missions, if at all, their initial thoughts revolve around themselves, myself included.

Do I feel like going?
Can I handle the stress?
What about my family and friends?
How will I fare?
I'm going to miss home so much.
I'm going to die from the culture shock.
Who the heck am I going to marry over there?


(These thoughts continuously cycle through my mind like a broken record player.)


So many people I've talked to, their reasons for not going were somewhere along the lines of, it's going to be uncomfortable for me, and I can't handle it so therefore I'm not called to go, thank you very much.  Again, myself included.
Ugh.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for making sure you're emotionally stable and mature before you jet overseas.  That's very important, but I don't think that's the main reason why the labourers are few.

The main reason is because we're selfish.

Unless God has specifically called us to stay and send, all the above points are moot because we serve an all-mighty, all-knowing, all-loving God, with who anything is possible.   I'm not saying He's going to make everything comfortable.  I'm saying He'll sustain you through the difficulties.  Be it hot weather, beatings, or the lack of a mate.

And can I just say that our most common excuses don't hold up under the costs of discipleship listed in the Bible?

Nowhere does it say if it's too uncomfortable you can stay and not go.
Jesus says again and again,

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."

But somehow we forget to figure that in.

The worst excuse is "but I'm not called."


Really?  Take a gander at Matthew 28:18-21.
How can we say we're not called when there are billions, literally billions of people perishing?
Is that excuse really going to stand up before Jesus when we meet Him?


Let's reverse our psychology.
Let's GO unless God closes the door and stops us.