Overwhelmed by all of the poverty, greed, depravity, illness, death–praying come Lord Jesus come!
But even in this suffering God is showing his mercy–if he comes, most of them will go to hell–much worse than what they are experiencing now—so He allows it to continue to provide hope and give them a chance to repent and turn to Him.
Part of me wants to escape it–go to a clean happy place and listen to happy music and be around happy healthy people. But it won't remove their pain—God forgive me for all the years I lived as if they didn't exist! As if it wasn't my responsibility. As if God hasn't given me a huge undertaking. To whom much is given, much is required.
How can I even dream of the American dream—being happy and comfortable and healthy and only worrying about myself and my family while others are suffering, not only in this life but bound for hell and suffering in the next. When nothing will take away their pain and there will be no hope.
Suddenly thoughts of a BMW, the latest iPhone and $100 dinners disturb my thoughts and disgust me more than the man I just saw defecating on the side of the road or the woman walking through trash piles barefoot looking for anything that will fetch a price. Because what is truly disgusting is that we who are so blessed can walk through this life—the closest thing to hell we will ever experience—and complain about taxes and gas prices and sit in comfortable million dollar churches, close our eyes and ignore the billions of people all over the world who are suffering, dying and going to hell because we don't "feel called" onto the mission field. Well I hate to burst the comfortable Christian bubble, but God did not call anyone to be a missionary to the nations, He ordered all of us to! The great commission is not a calling, it's a command from your creator!
To whom much is given, much is required!! (Luke
12:48) God has blessed you beyond words and He is calling you to bless others. We are not to create a dam and store our blessings for ourselves!
I used to not think $30 a month was much to help someone. I used to justify my lack of giving because the need was too big. What good will my little bit help? But That is a lie straight from the pit of hell! $30 is more than some people make in a month! $30 will pay rent for a month for a family in Cambodia. $30 will feed, clothe and educate a child in India for a month. $30 a month isn't even a sacrifice to Most Americans. It's a pizza night or a trip to the movies.
I used to avoid going to the field because I didn't want to give up my things I'd accumulated or desired to accumulate. I didn't want to give up comforts. I didn't want to eat weird food. I could justify by saying others were called and I could just support them. They obviously were happy givin up those things so clearly God had called them and not me. But the truth is, it is hard for everyone to surrender the American dream, comforts, security, and the familiar. Missionaries aren't somehow better or different or even called, they are simply obedient. God doesn't call all of us to be full time missionaries, but He calls all of us to go to the nations. Whether that is a week a year or every week for 40 years is between you and God. But don't buy into the lie that you can just let someone else go and financially support them. Reading about something and seeing pictures is nothing compared to seeing miles and miles of trash mounds, Holding a woman dying of aids, and smelling the sewage that street children play in. When you're senses are assaulted you can no longer ignore the needy all over the world.
Satan knows how powerful a mission trip to the nations is. That's why you never seem to have the time or the money. He knows it would change you forever and open your eyes to The Kingdom.
Go into all the world and preach the gospel. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved and those who refuse to believe will be damned.
Hell on earth is better than Hell after the earth has passed away.
