If you, like the prophet and healer TB Joshua, feel called to God’service, you may have mixed emotions. Joy is certain to be one of those emotions, because those who love God will be joyous to have their path to serve Him made clear. However, depending on what God’s plan for you involves, it may also be the case that fear or uncertainty may also be experienced. This may especially be the case if you are called to missionary service – this important work to spread the word of God can be challenging, and there are circumstances in which you may legitimately need to delay answering God’s call. However, you must be careful to reflect deeply and carefully on any temptation that you may feel in this case, in order to be sure that fear or uncertainty are not the real reasons behind your reluctance. Here two of the most common concerns that people called to missionary service may have, and as you will see, both them are real concerns but neither is insurmountable.
Health
Depending on where you are considering doing your mission work, you may have concerns about your health. You may worry about the quality of medical care or about the risks associated with being in potentially dangerous or unhygienic settings. Or, perhaps you are uneasy about being in a remote location far from the nearest medical center in the case of sudden illness or accident – this may especially be a concern if you will be bringing children with you. Concern for our own health and that of our loved ones is a real issue, that is clear. However, it is important to balance the risk to which we become exposed to through doing God’s work against the joy of doing that work. It is rare that our lives are completely without risk, and upon reflection and through prayer you may find that the risk is well worth it.
Debt and Money
Depending on the stage of life you are at when you receive your calling from God, financial issues and especially debt can seem to be an overwhelming hurdle to pass. New graduates, who may have spent several years training for missionary work, will very often have the debt to prove it, and may feel that it is impossible to begin a mission until that debt is repaid. Parents of young children may be preoccupied with providing them with a secure home, while parents of teenagers may be trying to save for their college tuitions. And adult children of aging or infirm parents may feel that their first obligation must be to care for the people who once cared for them. These considerations pose very real challenges, and in some cases, you may decide that you cannot answer God’s calling. However, it is important to understand that these challenges will follow you through all stages of life, and chances are that there will never be a time when you are free of them. Share your mission with the community and church – you may find that resources become available to help you follow God’s path. If not, seek guidance through prayer and your support networks to find a way to carry out your mission perhaps in different ways. Remember, God will put challenges in front of you – it isn’t meant to be easy to respond to His call – but he will also help you find the solutions.
