The answer can be found in the life of the Apostle Paul, a tireless missionary who faced constant risks and hardships. Paul understood that sharing the Gospel would evoke a range of reactions, from repulsion to attraction. Some might see the message as a restriction on their freedom, while others might recognize their inherent need for God’s guidance. He wrote in 2 Corinthians, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.”
Paul’s strength came from his unwavering belief that God was using every hardship, every obstacle, to ultimately bring about victory, just as He did through the cross. Paul did not rely on his own abilities or experiences but placed his trust in God’s power. Even in moments of despair, facing situations so challenging that he feared for his life, Paul found solace in knowing that God, who raises the dead, would deliver him. Paul wrote about one of these experiences: “We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia, for we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself…Indeed, we felt that we had received a sentence of death, but that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such deadly peril, and he will continue to deliver us.”
This is the source of strength I cling to when I venture out to share the Gospel: **the understanding that God uses the very difficulties we encounter to make us more reliant on Him.** It’s through these struggles that we see Him as the true driving force behind our work, allowing Him to receive the glory, not us.
The path of mission work is rarely easy, but the knowledge that God works through our trials, transforming them into sources of power and victory, gives me the strength to face any challenge and take the necessary risks.