Developing a Heart for Missions - Part Two • Bright Hope

Developing a heart for missions comes fairly easy. However, walking that out in life and practical application can be a lot more challenging. Often we can look at the desperate condition of the world and feel overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. We might begin to ask ourselves, “What can I do in the face of such suffering?” And if we’re not careful, we may begin to despair and lose the passion that got us started in the first place.

As we looked at previously in part one, the first big step in developing a heart for missions is acknowledging that God is the one actually doing the work. This important first step will carry us through the moments of disappointment or overwhelming weight that will surely come. Our first and most important task is to say “yes” to God’s invitation to join Him in mission. Then, we must relinquish any notion that the outcome is of our own action.

What Is the Heart For Missions?

The Missio Dei concept helps us explain our understanding of God’s mission for the world. What is the Missio Dei? We understand that God loves humanity and desires for all to come to an understanding of His love through the message of His Son, Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:4) God has been fulfilling this mission, through various ways, since the beginning of time and allows us to cultivate a passion for His people as well. While God does not depend on our involvement for His plans to succeed, like a loving parent spending time with their child, God allows us to take part in His work. In this way, God uses these experiences to grow our hearts, draw us closer to Himself, and to make us more like Him.

Missions Are Important to God

As we read through the Bible, God is both the mission and is on a mission by being both the sender and the sent. Many times Jesus refers to Himself as having been “sent” to do the will of His Father. Likewise, we can see God’s heart for the lost in stories like the parable of the Lost Sheep found in Luke chapter 15. Jesus explains that the lost person has great value to God, and thus worthy of being sought out and rescued. So, what does all this mean for us in the pursuit of a missional heart? Simply put, God has a heart for missions and so therefore we should as well. God has made missions important by His expressed will and actions and this stated purpose should inspire us to action as well.

What Do You Think Is God’s Calling For You?

Keeping our focus on missions can pose a challenge in today’s ultra-busy world. Our lives are so full of distractions and we’ve never had more avenues into our personal space as we do today. Not only do things call out for our attention, our society has become divided and increasingly aggressive toward faith and missions. Even in this, we should not lose heart, but remember God’s faithfulness and sovereignty is these efforts. As we see in many stories through the Bible, no one can thwart God’s will, nor will His people ultimately face defeat. Instead, let’s focus on God’s heart for the lost, and seek to make our own effort to reflect His passion.