How to be a strong, effective, soul saving Christian

Lie: Living in Africa will make you a super Christian

Truth: Living in Africa will bring you face to face with your own weakness and closer to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith.

There are days here, like today, when my energy is gone, finished, ka-put. This week, I’ve lacked motivation more so than most. Why? I am a missionary in Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa. Am I not supposed to be a superhuman, super spiritual, always joyful woman of faith? Goodness, I wish. Some days I feel this way, like I could tell any mountain to throw itself into the sea. But today is not one of those. 

Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” (Jn 15:5). Yesterday, I biked to the girls school where I volunteer with Jesus’ words to Paul repeating in my mind: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9).

How can this be?  Jesus, are you telling me that you put me here, in this world, here in Cote d’Ivoire, to realize my own weakness? Yes. How can I be of any use? My power is made perfect in your weakness. My use is completely dependent on your power? Yes. 

It seems like this is where we fail. We try to relieve poverty and suffering with our own power. But the truth is, God never gave us that right or ability. “The call of God does what the call of man can’t. It raises the dead. It creates spiritual life. It is like the call of Jesus to Lazarus in the tomb, “Come forth!”(John Piper) If I rest on my own strength for each day, I won’t make it past noon. With His strength, on the other hand, I will.

I would like to tell you that I started a fund for the widows in my church, I have brought healing to girls who have been abused, and I have made deep and lasting friendships that cross culture and language. But I haven’t. I can’t claim any of these things. In fact, the first hasn‘t been done yet, and only He can measure the second. God help me if I take for myself any of the glory for the third. I’m relying on God to accomplish these things, everyday. “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” (2 Cor. 3:5).

The health, wealth and prosperity gospel doesn’t exist here in Cote d‘Ivoire.  Everywhere I look, someone has lost a child or husband. Being a Christian doesn’t equal an easy life. One look at Paul’s life - full of prison, shipwreck, and persecution for spreading the gospel - and this is obvious. He didn’t endure it all for recognition and a long life. He said, “This slight, momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,” (2 Cor. 4:17). Let’s stop being Christians for the sake of our own comfort. Jesus calls us to save souls and make disciples; One look at New Testament examples proves that this isn’t done without a price.

David Livingstone, pioneer missionary to Africa, once said, “Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay?” It should be for this reason that we do anything. Not because of our own ability, but because, in our inability, we owe Him our all. 

Today, let’s ask ourselves this: what is my motive for any of this? Who do I work for? If the answer is “for my own gain“, get on your knees and listen to Jesus’ words: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Thank Him for the thorn in your flesh, or ask Him to give you one. He wants to use you despite your weakness. You’ll be more effective for His use if you realize, as Paul said, “When I am weak, then I am strong,” (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). 

Get up and live by His strength. He wants to use us, weak as we are.