Resolution #1 – I will watch for evidence of God’s heart for the nations

10 Resolutions for Missions in 2022

This is a series about 10 resolutions that you can make to promote Missions in 2022. I got the idea from an Instagram post that Bevin Ginder of GlobalCAST Resources posted on his site. Since many resolutions are abandoned by the end of January, I will post a new resolution each week. That way, you will have inspiration throughout the year.

The first resolution is: I will watch for evidence of God’s heart for the nations.

This leads us to the first question: Is God working in the world today? The short answer is “Yes.” The long answer is “Yes, but in ways you may not expect.” That’s why you must be alert to world events.

Then another question arises: How does God work in the world today? We can see all sorts of problems and issues plaguing humanity: wars, refugees, natural disasters, persecutions, poverty, malnutrition. Where is God in all that? If God is working, why don’t we see Him working?

I am reminded of a quote from John Adams: “Every problem is an opportunity in disguise.”

God most often works behind the scenes. If you look deep enough into a problem, you can see an opportunity. You can see where God can and is working. Take refugees, for instance: Uprooted from their familiar lives, they are thrust into unknown situations. Their traditional ways of thinking and doing have been destroyed, and they can be open to new ways of thinking and doing. Through the compassion of Christian relief agencies, they can see a new way of thinking about their relationship to God.

The problem is refugees; God’s solution may be working to bring them into contact with Christians, whom they may have never encountered before, except for their refugee status.

What does this mean for me today? This means you can look for evidence of God’s hand in personal as well as national and international situations. So, what do you look for? How do you do it?

A story told of a prayer room in a church, where someone found a newspaper. The pray-ers were instructed to read the news, and pray as the Spirit led for the reported situations. Your newspaper, or the evening news can be a springboard to looking deeper into a situation and seeing how God is at work. Search the internet-it has more international news than any newspaper or newscast can ever cover, and more in-depth coverage.

Look at the problem from God’s perspective. Ask God, “What are You doing in this situation?”, and see what good could come out of the situation. Pray for that good to be achieved. You can pray for the Spirit’s guidance on what God is doing, and discover a new perspective to continue your prayers.

Seek and you will find. You will see opportunities for Christian mission efforts, doors that are opening and doors that are closing. You will see signs of people groups coming to know Christ, and at other times, persecution arising. Persecution can be a good thing, a purifying force in the lives of Christians and the Church.

So, you see a situation where God is working–what can you do? First and most importantly, pray that God’s Will would be done. Prayer is the greatest force in the universe. Pray for knowledge and wisdom about the situation and God’s solution.

Secondly, you can contribute money, time, or possessions. Find an agency working in that field, and find out what they need. It may be money, but it could also be a skill set that you have and can apply to the situation. What if God has moved an international student or coworker to your college, workplace or neighborhood? Be God’s hands or feet, welcoming them into your circle of friends. You may only have a limited window of opportunity to impact them with the gospel.

Thirdly, you can spread the word about what God is doing. You can help others to see God’s heart for the nations, and what He is doing today.

God is active in the earth today. We can be a part of that activity. We can be co-workers with God, directly or indirectly. When you hear about current events, ask “What is God doing?”, and the Spirit will give you an answer. Then ask, “What can I do to help?”, and you will receive guidance on how to move forward with God in His heart for the nations.