On the mission field, we will have to sacrifice many things for Christ, including our comfort. Such sacrifice trains us to find our comfort in Christ alone.
Knowing our mission field can sound like a daunting task, but it does not have to be. We can know our mission field by turning to Jesus. Jesus commands all people to share the Gospel. The Lord tells us, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). In this article, we are going to discover how we can know our unique mission field.
Missions
Mission work is extremely important. Missionary work helps take the Gospel to places it has never been before. It is important for us as Christians to know our mission field. Many people believe mission fields are only those overseas; however, a person’s mission field can be in their own community. God calls some oversea; whereas, others He calls to share the Gospel right where they are. You can share the Gospel with your family, friends, and neighbors in your own hometown. Some people feel God has called them to stay in their own hometown, yet some people feel God has called them to go somewhere new. The Lord has placed His calling in each of our hearts.
From my personal walk with the Lord, I know He has called me overseas. I have never heard a direct “call” from God as Paul did when he experienced the Macedonian call; however, I have had a desire and longing to serve God overseas. I believe God’s “call” to all people is found in the Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18-20, yet I do believe God also uses the Holy Spirit to direct us where He needs us to serve.
I have a friend who recently became a missionary to Canada. When we were discussing our desires for lifelong missionary work a few years back, we both shared similar thoughts and feelings of the places we were going to serve. My friend was going to serve in Canada and I was going to serve in England. One of the things he said about Canada was that he felt like he truly belonged in Canada in ways he never belonged in America. When my friend shared this deep truth, it truly opened my eyes to my own heart. I served on a mission trip in 2019 to England, in which it was truly one of the best times of my life. Looking back on my service in England, I am reminded of God’s goodness, love, and strength. When I was in England, I truly felt like I belonged. Just as my friend noted during his time in Canada, I never felt like I belonged until I was in England.
In other words, my friend and I did not feel like we belonged in America because God had placed another mission field in our hearts. There are no levels of mission work, such as one is “greater” than the other. Wherever you feel God is leading is your mission field. Your mission field may be across the world or it might be in your own backyard. Regardless, God prepares your heart for His work.
Prayer
Prayer is a crucial part of knowing your mission field. Knowing the desire that God has placed in your heart can sometimes be met with confusion and uncertainty. When you feel God is leading you to a specific place, pray to God if this is where He is leading you. God does answer prayers, and He delights to hear your prayers. Wherever you have felt God place your heart, pray to God and ask Him if this is His will.
Pray consistently and ask others to pray for you too. God can speak back to you through your Bible reading. Unlike biblical times, God does not speak to us through a thundercloud or a prophet. Instead, He speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. In your daily Bible reading, God can teach you and communicate what He is trying to say regarding your mission field. Make sure during your daily walk with Christ that you make prayer and Bible reading a consistent habit.
Asking Mature Christians
In addition to knowing the desire and praying to God, you should also ask other trusted, mature Christians if they agree regarding your desired location to serve the Lord. Trusted Christians could be mentors, mature friends, Christian advisors, and church leaders. In my personal experience, asking other trusted Christians manifested in talking extensively with my missions professor from college and his wife to verify this is where I should serve God. I encourage you to talk with other trusted Christians and ask them for their input, feedback, and advice.
God can help verify our mission field through the encouraging words of fellow believers. It is a bad idea to try to do things on your own and leave other trusted Christians out of your future. It is also wrong to try to do everything on your own and not to consult with God. The Lord is the One who will be working through you while you are on the mission field. It is of vital importance that you include Him in everything you do. Leaving God out of the equation is like trying to breathe without oxygen. You have to consult God in prayer, read His Word, and talk with other trusted Christians.
Living for God
Your mission field most likely will not be the same as someone else’s. Throughout time, Christians have served in various places as their mission field. The Lord may press India upon your heart or He may press Australia, Canada, or somewhere else. The Lord is always working, and He does speak to us. Yet, it is up to us to listen to Him. How do you know your mission field? Search deep in your heart and see where God has placed your heart. Pray to Him, read His Word, and consult trusted Christians.
It can be scary if you know God is calling you somewhere new, especially when you may not want to give up the comforts of home. I completely can relate to those feelings. I felt the same way in my own life. I felt like every comfort was stripped away, and all I had left was Christ. It was not until I only had Christ that I realized that He was all that I needed.
Maybe you have experienced the same thing in your life. Paul can resonate with how we are feeling when he says, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8). On the mission field, we will have to sacrifice many things for Christ, including our comfort. Such sacrifice trains us to find our comfort in Christ alone.
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” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God will give us comfort and bring joy into our hearts as we are carrying out the Great Commission where God has placed us. Live for God on your mission field, and shine Christ’s light to the lost world (Matthew 5:16).
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