What Does it Mean to Be Missional?
Transforming Truth: Missional
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’” –Mark 16:15 (ESV)
I vividly remember the year I found myself sitting next to my homeschooling sister-in-law and my first-generation homeschooling mother-in-law at the Denver Missional Women’s Conference. Both happened to be in town at the same time that week, and our attendance came together at the very last minute. However, God reminded me that day that when He is on a mission in a specific area of our lives, the message is always right on time.
That message, for me, was a new understanding of the word “missional” and how it related to God’s purpose in my life in the season I was in.
Back then, I was on a new journey with the Lord to resolve the restlessness I’ve struggled with most of my life. Restlessness that manifested itself in the form of discontent, self-reliance, perfectionism, unrelenting expectations, and eventually, overwhelming physical anxiety.
All the while, God was preparing my heart for the message I would hear at that conference. The keynote speaker, an author and homeschooling mother of seven, whose family spent a lot of time over the years as missionaries around the world, said something like this: We are called to be missional women and missional mothers. See your life from an eternal perspective, no matter where you are. Have the courage to do what God has called you to do right here, right now.
Here’s the interesting part: The speaker embodied everything I thought I needed to do if I wanted to serve God with my whole heart. She and her husband were missionaries who had traveled the world sharing the Gospel, often facing dangerous situations that would cause any mother to question her calling. Although they had fulfilled the traditional role of missionaries, she encouraged us to remember that we are all part of God’s great commission wherever He has placed us—at home, in the US, serving our families, participating in a local church, etc.
Over the years, I thought my restlessness was the result of not doing the “right” form of service—not living a life like she did. I was restless because my life was too ordinary, I thought, and what I really needed was to be somewhere else serving God.
However, she went on to share about the years when her children were young and she stayed home from those mission trips to raise them, train them, homeschool them, and support her missionary husband from home. Although it wasn’t easy, she explained how God showed her that particular time with them was so critical: It was her mission field for that season.
I realized I wasn’t restless because I wasn’t serving God in the right place and needed a new assignment. My restlessness was the result of not serving God wholeheartedly in the place He’d already put me: At home with my family, homeschooling, and working from home in Colorado.
God wants to use you in the roles you find yourself in right here, right now.
Have you ever waited for a special “confirmation” from God about your next steps? We often wait for a profound “you are called” moment, only to wait and wait some more. Have you felt restless, too?
God has already given you a place, and specific people, and a heart that is already moved by specific needs, whether it’s due to circumstances God has allowed you to experience or causes that move your heart more passionately.
So, what does it mean to be a missional mom? I think it means we embrace the place, people, passions, and position God has given us right here, right now, as our mission field.
Ask yourself: What am I doing with the gift of life and salvation that God has given me? With my gifts and passions? What is my place in my home and in the Kingdom of God? How can I serve Him and others in this season, right here, right now?
That’s our mission.
Nighttime Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for the roles you have given me in this season of my life and the opportunity to serve You and others through these roles. Help me stay focused on those people You place in my path daily and point them to You, not just in what I say, but how I live my life. I know You don’t need me to accomplish Your plans, yet You invite me to be a part of what You are doing in someone else’s life when I share the good news of the gospel and the truths of scripture. Help me to surrender more of myself so I can reflect the image of Your Son to others. Thank you for the joy I get to experience when I see someone come to saving faith or grow in their relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Questions for Reflection:
- What do you think of when you hear the word missional? Do you think of missionaries in a traditional sense?
- Do you feel like you are on a mission right now, where you are?
- If so, in what ways has God shown you that you can serve Him and be missional in the roles He’s given you right now?
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Join the Conversation:
Have you ever waited for a special “confirmation” from God about your next steps? Do you find yourself feeling restless because your life is too ordinary, or that you need to be somewhere else serving God? What do you think it means to be missional? Share your reflections in the comments below. I’d love to hear about what God is teaching you about serving Him and others in your current season of life.
*This devotional was published on Crossmap.com as part of the Daybreak Devotions series.
