Are you young? Still single? Want to be used by God? Feel unsure about the exact direction for your immediate future?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is for you. You're not alone!
So many young people finish high school or college these days and then ask the BIG question: NOW WHAT? If you're finishing high school and don't know what you want to do with your life, or where you want to go to college, what do you do? Do you get a minimum-wage job and live at home with your parents? Do you start college in hopes you'll figure it out as you go, possibly wasting time and money in the process?
If you're graduating college but aren't about to get married, what comes next? Do you move back home with your parents? Do you find a "grown-up" job and get your own place and start paying bills? Do you think about grad school because you don't know what else to do?
I want to suggest a big idea for you: Give a year of your life to missions! Here are 5 reasons why it is a great idea to do missions while you're still young and single:
1. You're single... you don't have a spouse and kids to take care of yet! Once you get married, your family becomes a priority to you. Your time is not just your own because you have another person to think about and make decisions with. When you have kids, your time is even more divided. It is not impossible to take your whole family to the missions' field. But there are only a small number of people who do it, because it is so challenging. When you go alone, all you have to do is follow the Lord's leading and He will take care of you. It is just you and the Lord. Plus, you only need to raise support for 1 person instead of 3 or 4.
2. You are putting the Lord first, giving a tithe of your time. When we surrender our lives to God, we're saying that we put Him first. We commit to follow Him. Yet how often does the way we spend our time reflect that commitment? In a 24 hour period, how much of that time do we spend with Him, or serving Him by meeting the needs of others? Maybe 30 minutes? That is less than 3% of our day. How much time do we spend on entertainment? On physical exercise? Or on whatever else we do to enjoy our free time? Maybe 2 hours/day? The way we spend our time tells us where our priorities are. I want my time to reflect my commitment to the Lord. Giving 1 year to missions is a small amount compared to the average life expectancy in the U.S. of 78.7 years. This doesn't mean after 1 year we can do whatever we want, it simply means for this period of time we are committing to lay aside all else to only pursue advancing His kingdom.
3. Jesus said to go! Have you ever heard the phrase: "Some stay, some pray, some give, some go?" I don't like it. Because while it might be true that some stay, does that mean they should? Maybe, but maybe not. WHY are they staying? Because it is safer and easier? Hudson Taylor said, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." In Matt. 28:19-20 Jesus said: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." Let me ask this one question: If you are staying where you are to fulfill your part in the Great Commission, do you actively take steps to share the gospel and make an impact in your area of influence? I want to challenge you. Don't be complacent! Ask God if you are where He wants you to be. If so, step out in your area of influence! If not, it's time to go, even if it is just for a season.
4. Your own life is forever changed. It is scary to see how quickly the influence of entertainment, social media, and technology has seeped into every area of our daily lives in today's society. When we take time to withdraw from focusing on our own entertainment and instead focus our time on the kingdom of God, we see a drastic change in our own relationship with the Lord. If you've ever taken a social media fast, or something of the sort, you've probably had to find something else to do with your time. And if you did this fast for the right reasons, you've probably also noticed an immediate change in how much time you spend with the Lord and how your relationship with Him can grow. It is the same way when you invest solely in missions. Focusing on God and others instead of ourselves and our own desires changes us. God uses the time to grow us into who He wants us to be. You will never be the same.
5. You have the time, resources, health, and job availability NOW! If you get a salaried job, you are not going to have the vacation time or ability to go later without leaving your job. You are settling into a season of life where you just don't have the kind of freedom you need to go do missions. (Except for short-term trips where you use up your vacation time, or do a small amount of missions in your own city). Also, if you haven't gone to college yet, you haven't accumulated college debt or have to start paying bills. If you've just finished college, there are programs that allow you to put off paying your debt if you're working for a non-profit. Lastly, when you get older you never know what might happen with your health. While you have the physical and mental ability to "weather any storm," now is the time! None of these reasons mean you can't later, it is just EASIER NOW!
In closing, EXAMINE YOUR HEART. Ask the Lord if you're living to the fullest and best that He has for you, if you're growing with Him as much as you can, if you're making the most of every opportunity, if you're fulfilling the Great Commission. If you are, awesome. If you're not, ask Him what He has for you. Be willing to lay down your life for Him. Go wherever He says, do whatever He says, Be whoever He calls you to be. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction or correction where He wants to. Ask Him to lead and guide your every step, so that wherever you go, you bring the light of Christ.
Are you ready and available to be used when He calls?
3. Jesus said to go! Have you ever heard the phrase: "Some stay, some pray, some give, some go?" I don't like it. Because while it might be true that some stay, does that mean they should? Maybe, but maybe not. WHY are they staying? Because it is safer and easier? Hudson Taylor said, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." In Matt. 28:19-20 Jesus said: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." Let me ask this one question: If you are staying where you are to fulfill your part in the Great Commission, do you actively take steps to share the gospel and make an impact in your area of influence? I want to challenge you. Don't be complacent! Ask God if you are where He wants you to be. If so, step out in your area of influence! If not, it's time to go, even if it is just for a season.
4. Your own life is forever changed. It is scary to see how quickly the influence of entertainment, social media, and technology has seeped into every area of our daily lives in today's society. When we take time to withdraw from focusing on our own entertainment and instead focus our time on the kingdom of God, we see a drastic change in our own relationship with the Lord. If you've ever taken a social media fast, or something of the sort, you've probably had to find something else to do with your time. And if you did this fast for the right reasons, you've probably also noticed an immediate change in how much time you spend with the Lord and how your relationship with Him can grow. It is the same way when you invest solely in missions. Focusing on God and others instead of ourselves and our own desires changes us. God uses the time to grow us into who He wants us to be. You will never be the same.
5. You have the time, resources, health, and job availability NOW! If you get a salaried job, you are not going to have the vacation time or ability to go later without leaving your job. You are settling into a season of life where you just don't have the kind of freedom you need to go do missions. (Except for short-term trips where you use up your vacation time, or do a small amount of missions in your own city). Also, if you haven't gone to college yet, you haven't accumulated college debt or have to start paying bills. If you've just finished college, there are programs that allow you to put off paying your debt if you're working for a non-profit. Lastly, when you get older you never know what might happen with your health. While you have the physical and mental ability to "weather any storm," now is the time! None of these reasons mean you can't later, it is just EASIER NOW!
In closing, EXAMINE YOUR HEART. Ask the Lord if you're living to the fullest and best that He has for you, if you're growing with Him as much as you can, if you're making the most of every opportunity, if you're fulfilling the Great Commission. If you are, awesome. If you're not, ask Him what He has for you. Be willing to lay down your life for Him. Go wherever He says, do whatever He says, Be whoever He calls you to be. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction or correction where He wants to. Ask Him to lead and guide your every step, so that wherever you go, you bring the light of Christ.
Are you ready and available to be used when He calls?
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