“I’m doing this for me” sounds pretty arrogant.
After all, you don’t go on mission trips for yourself, you go on mission trips to help starving kids in Africa, right?
3 years ago, I didn’t believe in missions, period. Looking around at the homelessness, abuse, and addictions that plague our nation, I believed that missions should consist solely of serving the community around you.
Why go overseas when the local need was so great?
When God brought me to Texas, my beliefs were challenged, particularly my views on missions. The great commission clearly stated “Go into all the world”.
Well, maybe overseas missions were ok, but only long-term missions, multiple years at least.
I had friends go on short term mission trips and the results were always the same. After their week long experience, they would come home and fall right back into routine within a week.
Short term missions were pointless. You couldn’t form a relationship with the people, so you were not doing them a bit of good.
Eventually I had a few friends go on some short term mission trips, but this time, they handled it quite differently. Yes, they fell back into routine, but this time, they were just a little bit different than when they left.
Finally it dawned on me:
Missions isn’t about others, missions is about me!
God commands us to go into all the world. Not so we can be these awesome ambassadors of Christ, having everything figured out. But rather, we go into all the world so that God can show us how small we truly are.
God tells us to go so that we can step out of our comfort zone, so that God can mold us and shape us through our obedience to Him!
When you look at missions from the perspective of us saving them, missions truly are pointless.
When you look at missions as following God wherever he leads, and serving at all times, missions are powerful, and world-changing.
Missions, whether a week, 11 months, or a lifetime; local, or across the world; are put in place for us to grow.
We step out in obedience, and God shapes us.
So yes, when you really think about it, I am doing this World Race for myself. I covet the growth and spiritual depth that God will lead me into. Now, God may use me to advance His kingdom, but regardless, God calls me to grow, and I will answer.
