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A "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #502)
Dis/Encouragement?
Our
missionaries tell what makes a difference
by Rollie Hodgman, Northern
Lights Editor
Joe & Josephine Missionary
may not let on, but they are struggling with discouragement. The people
they've served among for years aren't showing much interest in the
Gospel. A few in their community have turned to Christ for salvation, but
now many of them have quit coming out for fellowship and Bible study. Some
have slipped back into sinful lifestyles.
Why? The Missionaries aren't
sure, but can think of several possible reasons.
WHY IT'S
HARD
Joe & Josephine knew from
the start that neither they nor the Gospel may be readily accepted because
Christianity is perceived as "white man's" religion. Unjust
government policies, church-run residential schools remembered for abuse
and suppressing Native cultures -- as a result the "white"
Missionaries may receive a cold welcome from some. And they've seen
anti-Christian feelings make it just as difficult for Native missionaries.
The Missionaries have
sometimes also felt resistance from mainline churches (established in just
about every northern community). Joe and his wife would be happy to see
people saved and living for the Lord regardless of affiliation, but it
seems like Christian nominalism has served as an "inoculation" -- like a small dose of something creating resistance to the real thing.
North American Aboriginal
people are traditionally animists, believing that natural objects and
animals have spirits, and that fate (success, health, safety) can be
controlled by ritual. This worldview is at odds with Scripture, and
deep-rooted. Those desiring salvation may just be "adding" the
Gospel, not really trusting Christ alone for salvation and daily living.
There are also social reasons
why Indigenous peoples may not accept the Gospel. Most are group-oriented,
less likely to step out to make an individual decision. There are many
broken and dysfunctional families. It's difficult for those who've
been neglected and abused to trust. There is a disproportionate number of
Native people with substance addictions. Along with the underlying causes,
the addictions themselves make living for Christ difficult.
The Missionaries have also
faced the challenge of establishing a fellowship group where family clans
don't get along. Disunity is particularly damaging to church growth in a
small community.
And besides all these reasons
(and there are more) which Joe & Josephine have no control over, there
are also their own mistakes and shortcomings. Should they be doing things
differently? Are they doing enough? Could the lack of results be because
they aren't praying hard enough, or praying right?
DISCOURAGED?
Really, Joe & Josephine
Missionary's hopes and challenges represent NCEM's. Despite all the
reasons -- and despite global mission analysts saying we face bigger
challenges than perhaps anywhere else in the world -- as a Mission we
still believe the Lord wants to save Canada's First Peoples and build
His Church among them. Please don't misunderstand: we're grateful for
what the Lord has already done. But we need to be honest and say that
slowness and setbacks can lead us to discouragement.
So how do we handle this
discouragement? I recently put that very question to our workers. There
were unique responses like: "Mope around feeling sorry for
myself"; "Eat something, then talk to God about it." Only
one responded with, "Our ministries are not disheartening." The
rest had in common these ways of dealing with discouragement in the work:
TURNING TO THE
WORD
More than any other response,
our missionaries mentioned turning to Scripture: "Read my Bible"
... "Keeping in the Word and spending time on our knees is the best
solution" ... "I read Scripture, pray and focus on refreshing
myself in the Lord" ... "We claim God's promises; sometimes we
feel that's all we have" ... "I look for Scriptures that will
be an encouragement to me."
Which Scriptures? "Particularly Psalms and Isaiah" ...
"We read the Psalms
and start thanking God for what He has done and is now doing, and that
always lifts our spirits" ... "The battle is not ours but God's"
(1 Sam. 17, etc.) ... "Our task is to sow and water; God gives the
increase!" (1 Cor. 3) ... "He who began a good work in you will
carry it on to completion" (Phil. 1) ... "He is able to keep
what I have committed to Him until that day" (2 Tim. 1). 1 Cor. 15:58
was mentioned by several: "...you know that your labor in the Lord is
not in vain."
It's not just our
church-planting missionaries who get discouraged. One of our department
leaders told of the deep disappointment he felt as staff moved on. "I
go back to God's Word and apply it to myself," he wrote. "Just
the day before I had preached on how David was able to take out
Goliath."
PRAYER's
PERSPECTIVE
Along with Scripture, our
workers told how prayer helps in times of discouragement: "We, of
course, get on our knees and call out to God" ... "I cried out
to God to encourage me" ... "I talk with God about it ...
especially [to] help me focus on 'Him,' not the discouragement."
"We ask God what we could
be doing differently to get people interested in living for Him,"
replied another. "And when He shows us, we get into action."
A few years ago a discouraged
NCEMer told how he realized that perhaps God hadn't been working because
he hadn't been thanking Him in faith for the results. He confessed his
unthankfulness, and said, "I sensed a blessed release and assurance
... worry and anxiety were replaced by faith and hope. It wasn't long
after that that God allowed His invisible workings to become
evident."
Yes, prayer puts things into
perspective. Sometimes discouragement is brought on by pressure to look
successful. Sometimes it's brought on by "tunnel vision." One
missionary remarked, "I try to look at the bigger picture -- not
just my community, or even NCEM -- but what God is doing
world-wide."
GOD'S WORK
Several shared thoughts like
these: "I remind myself that it is not my responsibility to produce
results ... [it] is simply to be a servant, a faithful steward ... then
trust Him for the results" ... "I remember that throughout
history there have been many times that people have not wanted to accept
the Truth" ... "I remember it is Jesus, not us or anyone else,
who is building His church" ... "The church is His, not ours.
When believers do well, He gets the glory, not us. And when they fail, we
don't have to shoulder all the responsibility either."
We know that "just being
faithful" can be an excuse -- to be content with the way things are.
It seemed from the responses, though, that "being faithful"
meant not giving up, to care enough to keep on keeping on.
LOOKING BACK
Several missionaries told how
reflecting on what God has done in the past has lifted them out of their
despondency: "I think on positive results in the past, knowing that
those times will come again" ... "I look at the lives of
victorious believers and remind myself that there may be another one 'right
around the corner' " ... "I look back in my diary."
The leader who was discouraged
about losing workers, wrote: "Several years ago, when three workers
resigned in the space of a month, I could not see the way ahead, yet God
provided."
Besides looking back, one
worker added this: "I also think of what the people we work with and
we ourselves will look like [when] we have been transformed and stand
brightly shining in the presence of God Almighty ... that always gives me
a boost!"
FROM OTHERS
Besides the Word, prayer, and
reflecting on God's blessings, a number of our missionaries mentioned
encouragement they receive from others. "I spend time with Christians
who have been changed and encouraged by the ministry of NCEM," wrote
one.
Referring to co-workers, these
responses: "We enjoy fellowship, and share prayer requests or praise
items" ... "It's a blessing because we all ... understand what
each other is going through." Others mentioned family: "Talking
with my husband is always good because it seems that when one of us
experiences discouragement, the other has an encouragement to share"
... "I call my mother-in-law. She always helps me to refocus."
Cheaper long distance phone
rates make it easier for our missionaries to talk with Christian friends
and supporters, a big help for one missionary who described Christian
friends as "few and far between." "Making phone calls often
is a way we get encouraged, sometimes to a godly supporter or a fellow
missionary," wrote another. One mentioned "praying supporters
and ... people who will pray at a moment's notice, not to mention ...
the NCEM Prayer Chain." They added, "We have seen many answers
to prayer."
Here's how much one worker
values encouragement from others: "Years ago I started an 'encouragement
file' so that when discouragements come, I could again read the notes
and cards from people who had encouraged me."
OUT OF THE
BLUE
Our missionaries have been
encouraged by God's timing. One couple wrote, "Just recently we
were beginning to feel a little discouraged and, out of the blue, we got
this nice card and letter from a Native Christian who we taught in our
Bible Club years ago." These missionaries mentioned other believers,
too, who have let them know how their ministry, many years before, was now
bearing fruit.
In dealing with discouragement
there's value in another's perspective. One worker was discouraged by
poor attendance at their fellowship's meetings. His director pointed out
that it was about 30% more than the previous year. In his discouragement
the missionary hadn't noticed what God was doing.
Another worker shared: "I
give close attention to what visiting Christians have to say about our
outreach." She said visitors notice things that a missionary
overlooks. A visitor's comment, "I'm really impressed with how
the people in your church prayed," was a big boost.
BREAK AWAY
Sometimes discouragement is
simply from exhaustion. One missionary couple replied, "In the
village, when we get discouraged, we disconnect the phone, turn off the
lights and just relax ... When you live in a village, you are 'on-call'
24 hours. So you have to find a way to 'get out' and rest. This
down-time is not long for us, 45 minutes to 2 hours, then we are ready to
get back at it ... usually."
"Sing songs, go for a
walk to clear my head," someone wrote. "When I feel
downcast," answered another, "I will usually do something
mindless such as blowing snow or mowing the lawn ... it helps me to first
clear my head of any negativity, and then move on to dealing with the
matter from God's perspective." "Sometimes just taking a
break," added one, "and doing something that isn't related to
ministry helps." Others mentioned how vacations, recreation, hobbies
and other activities outside of ministry can help.
One mentioned getting out into
nature. "God has made everything so amazingly beautiful," he
wrote. "Sometimes I need to take the time to look at it again. It's
an act of worship for me and God uses it to refresh my heart and clear my
mind. And my horse is warm to the touch and brutally honest with me. God
made him that way."
SURPRISING
ANTIDOTE
Along with this list of what
our missionaries found valuable when dealing with discouragement was one
somewhat surprising -- doing ministry! That's right ... spending time
with the very people who we may think of as the cause our discouragement!
One couple replied, "We
often go out visiting homes on the reserve and this brings encouragement
almost every time. Just yesterday we spent a whole afternoon visiting with
Christians and non-Christians on a reserve, and it was very
encouraging." Another wrote, "The children's innocent smiles
encourage me."
Space limits more comments
from our missionaries about dealing with discouragement. Reading good
books, visiting Christian web sites were also listed. One particular
missionary hasn't let discouragement squeeze out humor. He wrote, "Being a life-long Maple Leafs fan, I may be more prepared for
disappointment ... than others!"
GREAT RETURNS
Of course this hockey fan had
more to say: "However, I'm not immune to seeing hopes in ministry
go unrealized, or grieve when those I minister to suffer setbacks in their
walk with the Lord. One way I keep encouraged is to remind myself just how
patient God has been with me. He's still working on me, and still
working in others, as well.
"I have not been in
ministry as long as some, but long enough to see youth excited about the
things of the Lord, then drift off and go their own way, later recognize
the error of their ways, and call us up to ask how they might get their
lives back on track again.
Yes, I'm a Maple Leafs
fan. And even though the Leafs are considered the most valuable franchise
in the NHL, they can't come close to the returns I do and will receive
in investing in God's work of changing lives through Christ."
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