The mind of Christ

I get the feeling that people expect missionaries to be on a higher spiritual plane. I never know what to say when I'm asked about my 'call'. I mean I'm certainly open to God speaking in that direct way, but I don't think we're promised that he will. And I don't see other people looking for a call to their secular job or even to other, home-based, ministry. My sense of being 'called' comes more from what has been directly spoken to us all in the Bible and from a sensitivity to God's providential ordering of life's details.

This extra-spiritual expectation also comes out when I'm making decisions about the details of where I'll go and what I'll do. I'm advised to 'pray about it' and I feel like it would be unacceptable to simply say, "Having thought about the position description you forwarded me . . .".

This helps:

. . . And don't just say, "I prayed about it". What's praying got to do with it? That's talking at God. That's just more you talking. Praying's not a form of guidance. Praying's a form of asking. . . . Think about it! You pray about it, ask for wisdom, to then use the wisdom to think!*

Thinking can be spiritual too :).


* Mikey Lynch, 'Sermon 3' from the Ministry Challenge conference Tasmania 2010