I read an article about missions being sexy. I decided to share some of my revelation on just how sexy it is.
Here's what you don't know about missions.
You don't know that once you've committed to being a missionary that almost immediately every believer in your life is going to question that call or convince you to stay in school so that you can have a 'Plan B' in case following Jesus falls through.
You don't know that it is much easier said than done when it truly comes down to pleasing Christ over man.
You don't know that once you've climbed the mountain full of obstacles and difficulty that everyone will still leave you.
You don't know that being a missionary means you're always leaving or saying goodbye.
You don't know that even when you return changed and radicalized by taking the Gospel to unreached people and nations and seeing them come to Christ that you'll come home and find it radically unchanged.
You don't know that reverse culture shock is the Devil's best instrument to breaking you down, making you feel like you don't fit in, pulling you into sin, depression, and all sorts of evils.
You don't know that you are a visionary and some people will write you off, even those that you love.
You don't know that you're going to see people called and see them deny that call because they're scared to hurt their families, or unsure about what "going all in" looks like, because they don't trust that God is who He says He is.
You don't know that you're going to change lives because of Jesus but that He's going to change your heart in ridiculous ways. Your pride, your lack of servant hood, your gossiping, your unwillingness to be submissive...oh, that's going to get wrecked and it's going to be painful. You're going to do a lot of apologizing during that time. Don't worry, humility gets easier but at first it's quite humiliating...these words are related for a reason.
You don't know that you're going to wake up, look around you, and see the faithfulness of God in your life after you've been truly following Him. And then you're going to kick yourself for not recognizing it sooner and then you're going to praise God for putting up with you.
You don't know that obeying Christ's call is the easiest step in missions. Deciding you're going to be a missionary is as easy as it gets. You're going to serve somewhere for an extended time (as an intern, on a DTS, through Mission Year, on the World Race) and your heart will never be the same. You're going to hear God clearer, you're going to recognize spiritual warfare, you're going to be attacked on every front...the call is just the beginning. You will sacrifice and you will suffer.
You don't know that, if you're called to be a missionary, you are giving the life God gave you back to Him.
if you're called to go, what you don't know is that, all of the fear dissipates in the light and fulfillment of finding Christ. Your desire for comfort will become a desire to remain uncomfortable until all have heard the Good News. You will fall in love with multitudes because Love himself is leading you. You will be tired and dirty and yet you will have relentless Joy. You will realize that taking the Gospel to the nations is urgent. And you will read this, heart ablaze to do His work, and say, "Here am I, send me!"
Pretty sexy, huh?