God's Will

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Sailboat

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Gods Will. I am requesting your comments on my situation. I live in Northern Canada, God has blessed me with a beautiful family and very nice home. God has also blessed me financially, although I would not be considered wealthy I always have enough money. I am self employed and my job is seasonal, last year I went with my family and lived in Costa Rica for four and half months, A huge eye opener. Although I was never really enthralled with how we live in North America, I always shopped second hand etc, I returned from living in Central America completely disenfranchised with North American culture. On the one hand it is easy to say I have a heart for the people of Central America and I want to live and serve there, I am afraid my real motives are that I just really don’t want to live hear any more. Do I need to hear from God? What is his will? God’s blessings on me here have been so great I am afraid to leave what he has given me. I know that if it is his will I will be blessed where ever I go. I don’t want to be like the prodigal and just go off to do my own thing, turning my back on what God has in store for me. I am praying and I would love to hear any feedback you may have.
 
Sailboat,
I love this question!
I'm kind of the same way. I have a lot of goals in life, but ultimately I want them to lead to mission work. I used to wonder though, when I first found out that missionary work was my passion, if it was just because of the missionary lifestyle: simplicity, traveling, becoming a part of a foreign culture, etc., and if it was just to have these things that was my real desire. And now that I've had years to think about it, I've realized some things.
I do believe that I would love that lifestyle. It's a big part of my wanting to be a missionary. But that's not all. I want to serve God and I want to serve other people. I want to spread the word and bring God into places where, without missionaries, people would have little hope of ever coming to Christ.
I'm afraid too. When I think about it, I don't really want to leave the life that I've become accustomed to living. But then, I think about my options. I can live in this place that I know so well for the rest of my life and then one day, as I'm thinking back on it, wish that I had gone out and done what I believed God was telling me to do. Or, I can actually do it. I can get out there and be a voice for God.
I believe that God gave me the love of other cultures and other lifestyles simply for that purpose. So that I would have the desire to serve other people in other places. It would be difficult to leave your culture and move to another if you didn't enjoy their lifestyle wouldn't it?
When it comes down to it, asking God is your best option. And if you feel like that's what you're being called to do, don't be afraid. Do it. =)
Here's a quote from Mark Twain that I've always loved that kind of applies to you being afraid to leave what God has already given you.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Sorry for the long post!
Mary
 
I guess I am at the stage of life where I could own a new truck, have a bigger house, buy all kinds of electronics like Big Screen TV’s etc. But I just don’t want it, and friends can’t understand why I don’t lust after the same things they do. I don’t watch TV there is nothing worth watching. Advertising makes me crazy because it’s all lie’s the life I have been raised to want tastes like eating wallpaper paste. I have not had any specific revelations pertaining to missions work that I can put my finger on. When I lived in Costa Rica, I just lived there, worked in a Dive Shop doing training went to Church made friends with locals. I’m not quite sure what the great revelation would look like if it did happen. I guess I have been waiting for that big lightning storm in the sky where God talks to me and tells me just what he wants from me. I’m not sure that is how it’s going to work, we have his word and his word says GO, do we need anything more?
 
A voice from the heavens isn't always a voice from the heavens.
Sometimes that big revelation can come in the form of simply realizing that you love something. Maybe your sign was when you realized that the life that everyone else is living isn't the one for you.
Basically, I'm saying that maybe the fact that you love Costa Rica and the lifestyle and your being dissatisfied with Canada is your sign. Sometimes God doesn't shout; sometimes He just whispers.
If you have doubts though, maybe you should wait. Keep praying about it. I'm not sure how big of a part of your life you left behind when you had to return home. But if it's big enough, maybe it's worth seeking out again.
 
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