You asked! Our Missionaries answered! The life and work of a missionary can be difficult. We asked our missionaries how they handle those difficult times. This is what they said!

Be Vulnerable. Care for Yourself. Seek Help.

“It depends on the season! I would say, be honest. No matter how you are feeling about the work you do, people you serve, be honest with those around you and with God. You can't get support if you hide these difficulties. So reach out to others, be honest, vulnerable, and don't withdraw.

I also focus on being kind to myself. Look for ways to care for myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It looks different for every person.

Lastly, seek professional help. Be proactive. You don't have to be going through crisis to seek guidance. You can reach out sooner. SEND has connections with numerous groups that offer counseling, spiritual direction, inner healing, and other resources. I've been through these resources myself and have found them invaluable.” 

Grumble to God

“Far too often I start by grumbling and complaining. In the best of these cases my grumbling and complaining is directly to God, and I'm so thankful that He is gracious and merciful with us. And though I don't want to condone grumbling and complaining, I do think that the very best thing is to bring those difficulties to God even if it is coming out as complaining. When I am handling difficulties the best though, I notice that I am quick to turn to God in prayer and to ask others to bring that difficulty to prayer. And this is the second thing I want to highlight here. Other people are so important for helping us through difficulty. God made us to be communal and that means sharing our challenges with teammates, local partners, friends, family and supporters. We can't handle difficulties, but God can and He often uses His people to help us through challenges.”

Reflect on Your Calling

“When things get difficult I think back to something a seminary professor said about ministry: The only thing that can keep you in ministry, through its many and deep difficulties, is calling. You can push through any difficulty if you know you are where you are meant to be. This is what makes the calling to missions so important: If you are not confident that you are called, you will never be able to persevere through the challenges that you will face on the mission field.”

Shift Your Perspective

“Three years ago I bought one of those five year journals and each day I have been writing just a few lines about what I was grateful for in that day and where I saw God in my day. This has helped me to totally rethink my days and my relationship with God so that when those difficult times come and it can be harder to see God, I know He is still here. It has helped me to shift my perspective to keep my focus on Him and His purposes, even in difficult times. Sometimes I still do cry out to God or tell Him my frustrations, but I always come back to knowing He has a plan, because he has always been faithful and always will be.”