Keep the fires burning
My wife and I were driving on the highway doing about 85 miles per hour. Suddenly, I saw brake lights ahead because of a terrible accident. Just as we were able to see what was going on they were pulling a dead body from the wreckage. I’ll never forget it. Let’s just say, after we made it past the accident, I wasn’t driving 85. I dropped at least 20 miles per hour. I was far more cautious and attentive. And our conversation took on a whole new tone. But the farther removed I got from the lights, the sirens, the bodies, the more I lightened up. Not only that, I sped up! Why? Maybe my memory is bad. Maybe I was already thinking of something else. Regardless, I let the experience slip away!
So what do traffic accidents, high impact conference experiences, and short-term mission trips all have in common? All are life changing experiences. But the farther away you get from them, the easier it is to slip back into casual, “normal” Christian life.
How can we walk away from some of the most transformational times in our Christian journey and within a month only have a Facebook profile pic to show for it? We all have a little bit of a bad memory and have a little bit more of a busy schedule. But to recapture God’s passion, we must be diligent. We must stay informed, fellowship with like-minded Christians, and we must challenge and be challenged by those who don’t necessarily believe the way we do.
Get Educated
Even though I was involved in ministry and attended my share of conferences, I could not tell you what God was doing in the world, where the least reached people groups were, or even how to find the answers to those questions. We have the world at our fingertips! We need to start accessing information and becoming professionals at knowing the needs of the world.
God’s Word is our primary resource to understanding His heart.
I know, first hand, there are many things competing for your time and energy. Prioritize understanding God’s heart and pursuing the task that remains.
Find Christians who care
You need fellowship. You cannot come home from your “mountain-top” and survive alone. One of the biggest reasons that you might find yourself cold, is because there are few like-minded people to kindle that flame.You may be the only one with new convictions. You may be the only person who cares about the world and about making a change.
If you don’t find accountability in other global Christians, you will find yourself sidelined rather quickly. Your parents have a plan for you. Our culture has a plan for you. Hey, even your own heart has a tendency to lead you down the selfish path!
To keep your vision fresh and stirred start a small-group or prayer group that you would feel comfortable enough to honestly share and pray with.
Find Christians who don’t care
Finding people who aren’t passionate about world missions is easy because you probably know many. On the other hand you will be challenged to defend your global vision. You will become frustrated with their lack of concern and it will solidify your conviction even more. God will renew your compassion as you seek to explain His heart.
Regaining passion for God and for His mission sounds hard, but it’s not. Staying that way, however, is one of the hardest things you will do in your journey in Christ. If you will pursue to know more and to fuel your passion with resources, like-minded people and in revealing God’s heart to others, Christ will be faithful to conform you into His own image and His steadfast heart for the world will become your own.