Why You Should Really Go On A Mission Trip Abroad...Even If You're Broke, Busy, Scared, & Everything In-Between.
If you know me, you probably know that I have a deep passion for missions and ministry. My passion lies in pleasing my King, sharing God's love for others, teaching others how to have a powerful relationship with God, equipping others to build His kingdom, and traveling all over this beautiful world to give Him glory.
Maybe that's not your passion. It's not why you wake up in the morning. I mean, you want to share God's love with others and, I mean, you would like to travel overseas. Mission trips sound cool, but really, are they practical? They're noble, but are they really for you?
You might be thinking:
I can't afford to travel the world.
Why should I go overseas when there are people around me who need God?
I don't have the time for mission trips.
I have responsibilities here that limit me.
I'm scared to go overseas. Aren't there dangerous people over there?
I don't want to leave my comfortable home and safety.
Ummmmm, don't they have diseases over there?
My family/husband would be against this 100%. What am I supposed to do?
I have no idea where I would go, how to find an organization to go with, how to plan, etc.
These are all valid questions and worries. I understand them, and I know that many people struggle with these limitations. So, first, let me tell you that you're not alone. I've had these worries when doing missions. In fact, pretty much everyone who ever goes on a mission trip has these same worries, so you're not alone.
Here are a few reasons why you need to go on a mission trip abroad, despite your fears:
1.) You're made for it.
Here's the thing. I KNOW that you long to go on a mission trip, that you want to love people all over the world and build God's kingdom.
How do I know that? Because God places that desire in every heart that is His. Our calling and purpose is missions, our hearts beat for missions, our souls long to do missions.
Traveling, seeing new things, and loving others has always been and will always be some of the most basic human characteristics. Think about it. What are the 5 most important things in your life? What's on your bucket list?
I daresay all of them point to missions.
2.) You're commanded to go.
You're not just commanded to do local missions and to share God's love with the people around you (although that's great and you definitely should!).
You're also commanded to share take the Gospel all over the world. Yes, YOU! You, personally, in the flesh, with all the hot mess vibes.
There is evidence of this all throughout Scripture:
"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'" (Mark 16:15 ESV)
"Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!" (Psalm 96:3 ESV)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV)
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'” (Isaiah 52:7 ESV)
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)
"For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47 ESV)
3.) YOU WILL KNOW GOD MORE INTIMATELY.
When you go to another country and see things from a different perspective, you start to see God's heart more clearly.
He whispers to you and shows you His beauty and power. He leads you closer to His heart. He steps out of the box you've stuffed Him in and shows you the reality of His glory.
There's something about holding a little girl in your arms who doesn't speak your language and knowing that God is using her to teach you about Himself. It's beautiful, and it so catastrophically wrecks your heart.
4.) YOU'LL REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW, YOU REALLY DIDN'T KNOW.
I'm serious. I thought I knew who God was. I thought I knew what the world was like. I thought I knew everything.
To say the least, I most certainly did not. And neither do you.
When you go abroad, you get a little wiser and a lot less ignorant. You see things that you never could have imagined and realize that you are so much smaller than you thought.
5.) YOUR LIFE AND OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES WILL BE ETERNALLY CHANGED.
God will use your small act of obedience in powerful ways.
Your heart, mind, and eternity will be radically changed. You will come home as a new creation and be better equipped to build God's kingdom at home. You will inspire people back home to follow God and make nonbelievers curious about why the heck you would do such a crazy thing.
The people that you interact with, even passingly, will not be the same. They'll think about you, wonder about you, be inspired by you, and will thirst for what you have. Your impact will be passed down generations and generations, forever.
Think about it. Those fears that you have cannot compare to all that God could do through you if you just step out in obedience.
He has commanded you to go, darlin'. He has commanded you to share His love in your home, in your grocery store, in your school, in your backyard, at work, in your community, online, offline, in your country, and YES, all over the world.
He has commanded you to share His love in places that you're uncomfortable, in the scary places, with the smelly people with the teardrops beside their eyes, with the people who don't speak your language, with the granny who dances around a fire naked, with the kids stealing for food, with the guy pointing a gun at you, with the government who wants to imprison you, with a world that doesn't understand you.
Yes, you are called to build the kingdom. Yes, you are chosen to be a royal ambassador of His Word. Yes, you are commanded to defy logic, to step out of reason, to trust it all to God, and to boldly go wherever He tells you to go. Yes, kingdom-builder, you are called to go overseas.
But you're scared, I know. You're afraid that you'll be driven into debt. You're afraid of catching diseases. You're afraid of the weird people who are so different from you. You're afraid of what people will think about you.
You're afraid of trusting God. You're afraid of leaving what's comfortable and familiar to follow God. You're afraid of making missions a priority.
I know, I know. I'm stepping on your toes. I'm sorry, but it's gotta be said.
You know, deep in your heart, that you're made for missions. You know that your duty is to share God's love and build His kingdom right where you are and around the world.
So why don't you?
I can tell you all of the thousands of reasons that going on a mission trip is for you. I can tell you that you'll help so many people and give them love that they might not have ever known. I can tell you that you will impact people for an eternity. I can tell you that your life will never be the same, that you'll come home a completely different person. I can tell you that your relationships will be deeper and your fear will fade away. I can tell you that people will see you and be inspired to lean in close to God. I can tell you that you need to step out of your sheltered bubble and see the world as it truly is, and fight for it. I can tell you that you'll learn how to love deeper, forgive easier, give thanks quicker, and pray harder. But what does that matter?
I can tell you all those things, but it won't do a bit of good because you're afraid.
Kingdom-Builder, can you imagine with me just for a second? Can you ask yourself these questions, go to God with them, and allow them to take root in your heart?
What would happen if you took that leap of faith?
What would happen if you entrusted your time, money, and resources to God?
What would happen if you stopped idolizing your comfort and started being uncomfortable for the kingdom?
What would happen if you allowed God to take you on the craziest, grandest, fulfilling, and awe-inspiring adventure?
What would happen if you stopped being afraid and allowed the King to provide and take care of you?
What would happen if you started making God and His kingdom a priority?
You're reading this, and you're wondering, and you're agonizing on whether you should do it. Let me tell you right now, friend, that you should. You should go on that mission trip, you should take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and you should give your life completely to God.
I DARE YOU to surrender your life to our glorious Father and trust Him to provide.