Think of this. Paul and Barnabas on their first Missionary Journey to spread the news of the gospel. There was no doubt as to the call of the Holy Spirit on their lives. They could have comfortably remained teaching and preaching in Antioch. Afterall, they were leaders in that church. Already having faced the opposition, the church was flourishing. Surely that was God would allow them to remain, growing that church and teaching them in the faith. But instead God called them to leave that church and go out into the world. They surrendered fully to the calling of the Holy Spirit. No hesitation! No questions asked! Off they went, embarking on a treacherous journey and leaving the familiar behind. What gave them the strength to persist in faith and missions, regardless of what treacherous trials they might face?
What if God calls you out of your comfort zone into lands unknown? Perhaps it is merely a new job He has called you to (or even has shoved you into by it being the only open door). It may not have been what you wanted or what you had planned. Yet, it is where God’s Sovereign Hand had placed you. Remember there are no “oops” in God’s plan for your life. Have you landed in a place where you feel silenced? “Surely God does not mean for me to be a witness here!”, you think. Still this is where He placed you. Or perhaps you see the need for ministry but feel yourself to be the wrong person for the task. You want to; but you feel your faith is not big enough. How do you persist in faith and missions, when you see your own failures looming?