Serving Seriously Amidst Challenges
‘Paul’, West Africa
Serving in mission is one of the most humbling and exciting experiences in one’s life. When I began to reflect on the topic “Serving seriously” I was reminded of an incident that occurred during my early days in the mission field. I remember vividly that on a particular night, as I was sleeping outdoors, I heard loud noises at midnight. So, I woke up startled and looked around for the source of the noise. As I looked on, I saw the scene of guns being fired just a kilometre or so away from where I stood. I was shocked and startled by the scene unfolding in front of me; it seemed as though there was utter chaos and confusion. I heard gun shots being fired continuously and many getting injured. I saw people screaming, crying and running for their lives. I stood dumbfounded and shaken for a moment.
Serving seriously amidst fears
After some time, my leaders and team members started calling each other rigorously to keep a tap on the team and the situation at hand. As I looked at the chaos right in front of my eyes, some of my team members started talking about fleeing the country as they feared that the unrest would turn bloody and dangerous. In situations like these most people tend to run in search of stability and comfort, being fearful and scared of what lies ahead. But I realized the need to be determined to continue to serve our Lord seriously even amidst dangers and fears.
Serving seriously with faith
At times, in the service of God we may be destined to go to dangerous places and our faith will be rigorously tested. But I realized that such moments will give Satan the opportunity to take advantage of our fears and worries, blinding us from seeing the bigger picture which God had planned for us.For me, at that moment of fear, I was reminded of Romans 14:8-9 where Apostle Paul says “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.”At that very moment, I decided not to leave the country no matter how chaotic the situation would turn out to be. Now when I look back at that incident I realize how important it is for us to serve Him seriously no matter what we encounter in the mission field.