The Lie "But I'm not called"

Four months ago, the thought of the 10/40 window filled me with thankfulness for those willing to go, as well as a silent fear of ever being forced or dragged there myself.   I was most comfortable assuming that I was not called to missions.  Brothers and sisters passionate about taking the Good News to the unreached were frightening and awe-inspiring in light of my own fears and hesitations.  I believed that God could use me much more fruitfully and joyfully in America, where it's safe, comfortable, and familiar.

But only a selfish and idolatrous heart could be convinced that it's best to put limits and conditions on serving the Lord.  As a friend reminded me yesterday, Jesus made it explicitly clear to his disciples that the Gospel must be taken to all the nations - not just where we are comfortable taking it.  "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come"  (Matthew 24:14). 

Keith Green, from The Traveling Team, writes that the most commonly heard excuse for not going into full-time Christian service in a foreign country is: "But I'm not called."  Green continues: 

You don't know how many people I've met who have said to me, I agree that more people need to go to the mission field, but I've never heard God tell me to go." Well, the truth is that God has already told you to go in His Word. In fact, He commands you to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15) That's right - YOU ARE CALLED! In fact, if you don't go, you need a specific calling from God to stay home. Has God definitely told you not to "go" somewhere outside your country to preach the Gospel? If He hasn't, then you'd better start praying WHERE to go, instead of if you should go-for again, you're already called.

Even if I don't feel like going to the mission field, I am commanded to go!  I am called to go!  Comfort and ease are not valid arguments against God's commands in Scripture.  In Kevin DeYoung's book Just Do Something he expands upon "the will of God" from Scripture, and his writing is most clarifying in such a discussion.  On the first side is God's will of decree.  DeYoung writes, "This refers to what God has ordained.  Everything that comes to pass is according to God's sovereign decree.  And all that He decrees will ultimately come to pass.  God's will of decree cannot be thwarted.  It is immutable and fixed."  God's will of decree is foundation to our faith.  God has ordained that Jesus Christ will return again, and on that day every knee will bow and tongue confess that He is God.  If God's will of decree can be thwarted - than who knows if Jesus will come back again?!  And then we are left to walking by fear instead of by faith!  I love that God's will of decree is immutable and fixed!

DeYoung continues, the other side of the coin is God's will of desire.  "This refers to what God has commanded - what He desires from His creatures.  If the will of decree is how things are, the will of desire is how things ought to be."  This is where Mark 16:15 fits in, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."  God has commanded that His children go and preach the Gospel through-out the world.  He desires the good news of Jesus Christ to go forth!  I don't have to guess what God's desire is for me in this case, because God made it crystal clear in His Word.

However, most of the time when we are making such decisions, we are really looking for God's will of direction.  What does God want me to do with my life?  When and where should I go?  Who will I go with?  Those are the questions we ask when we are seeking God's will of direction?  We want to know His individual, specific plan for the who, what, when, and how of our lives.  However, DeYoung questions, "Does God have a secret will of direction that He expects us to figure out before we do anything?  And the answer is no... He does not burden us with the task of divining His will of direction for our lives ahead of time."  These questions are not meant to be our focus.  We easily deceive and confuse ourselves when we lose sight of God's will of decree and desire in search of His will of direction for our lives.

I love DeYoung's conclusion:

Trusting is God's will of decree is good.  Following His will of desire is obedient.  Waiting for God's will of direction is a mess... The better way is the biblical way: Seek first the kingdom of God, and then trust that He will take care of our needs, even before we know what they are and where we're going.

What a freeing lens to view missions through!  I don't need to lose sleep over choosing the "right" or "wrong" plan for my life and ministry.  I must "Seek first the kingdom of God" through trusting in God's sovereignty and obediently following His commands - "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," "Go and make disciples of all nations," "Follow me; and allow the dead to bury their own dead," "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel's shall save it."  It's so clear when we surrender our plans to God!  Wisely following his will of desire is our direction!! 

It's wonderful news that in another four short months I'm able to go on a Summer Project as part of my job!  I have an opportunity to live-out the transformation that God worked in my heart towards missions.  I couldn't be more excited and humbled to be going on the Gateway Summer Project.  The 10/40 window - my previous "hell" has now called and captured my heart to joyfully take the Gospel there.  What a privilege to live in obedience to God, the author and perfecter of my faith!

To read Keith Green's full article, The Most Commonly Heard Excuses, click here.
For more on The Traveling Team, click here.