Maturity for the MissionSample

Finding Contentment in God, When You’re Lonely on Your Mission

I travel often for ministry. It’s a privilege to preach the Word of God. It’s exciting to witness God give new opportunities, reveal new paths and assignments, and give new vision. But there is a cost to that “yes”. While you can’t make it a pattern to be absent from community, marriage, or our local church - there will be times when God approves your absence and the cost of the yes. If you don’t understand that your yes is a blessed yes, the enemy will overwhelm you with guilt and your thoughts will overwhelm you with regret and shame.

Paul was lonely on his mission from God although he was ministering to several churches. He missed his loved ones. He said that he longed to come to them for years but was often hindered - and that he hoped to see them in passing. That is how we know the mission was everything. As deep as that longing was, Paul said that the only way he’d see his friends and loved ones, was if he saw them in passing on the path to Spain. He wasn’t willing to get off the path God had him on. He desired a "well done" from his savior more than his personal desires.

We often want miracles, but we don’t want spiritual maturity. Contentment doesn’t come from God giving you the thing off the list. Because once he gives you the thing you’ve been praying for, you’ll want something else. True contentment comes in finding your satisfaction in Him.

The yes comes at a cost - and it’s a privilege to pay it.