A brave friend confided in me that she went to the ends of the earth on a mission trip, and hated it.

Although she was surrounded by needs and gladly worked tirelessly using her much-needed medical skills, she was miserable—not because she was uncomfortable, not because she was homesick, but because she was off mission and knew it.

Compassion consumed her for the people living submerged and suffering in the aftermath of a typhoon, but she wasn’t supposed to be there.

Others on the mission, including her passionate, evangelizing husband, thrived. They’d found their niche and were on task every day, energized and motivated to continue the work.

Not her. Her thoughts wandered back to ball fields and spend-the-night parties.

Before you decide she’s leisurely and not willing to “serve the Lord,” hear what she said next…

Leaning against the wall, half guarding her heart with her clipboard, apologetic but fiery, she said, We have all kinds of kids come to our house, kids that otherwise would never get to see what a stable, nuclear family looks like. They see us sit together at our table and mostly get along. They see us love our kids and love them, too. They feel welcome and safe. I didn’t have that when I was a kid, so as long as I’m able during this season of our lives, rather than spend $6,000 going on a mission to a place I don’t belong, I’ll be using that money to buy gas, Gatorade, and pizza. Because that’s my mission right now.

I listened to her and wondered how much more effective all of us would be if we understood our missions as well as she understands hers.

And I couldn’t help but also think of all the precious Missionaries living out their callings abroad, doing what they love and are so gifted to accomplish, who describe the damage done to their work by “missionaries” who were guilted into coming. (For more on this topic, I recommend the book “When Helping Hurts” by Corbett & Fikkert.) It’s a real problem.

But just as real a problem is people here at home, thinking they’re missing out on God’s calling on their lives because their ministry doesn’t look like someone else’s.

That’s bunk.

When the Light of God has entered your life, you are His ministry, wherever you are. You’ll just-so-happen to find yourself in the right place at the right time as you walk in HIS Spirit. That may be at your job, and it may be in Haiti, but if you’ve given Him your sincere YES, then you can trust He has you right where He wants you, at least for now.

If you’re supposed to be doing something else, He’ll let you know because His sheep hear His voice, remember?

 

My sheep hear My voice… and they follow Me.

~ Jesus

 

So today…thrive.

Wherever you are, shine, because the people around you are your mission, and your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to love them in Jesus’ Name.

 

For All creation is eagerly and anxiously waiting for God to reveal who His children are.
 ~ Romans 8:19

 

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From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and their boundaries. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

~ Acts 17:26-28