Christians face many concerns when considering a career in missionary work: funding, a place to live, wild creatures, bugs, hostile people, strange cultures, languages, serious diseases, uncomfortable working conditions, and the “impossible” tasks.
I wonder if Jesus knew about those things when He told us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every person? (Mark 16:15) Of course He did! (Hebrews 4:13, Psalm 139:16)
When it comes to trusting God enough to obey Him, we are tempted to be just like the ten spies who went into the Promised Land with Joshua and Caleb then reported back to Israel, “We can't go! Giants live there!” The adults refused to trust God and ended up wandering in the wilderness until they died. (Num. 13, 14)
And that is the same contrast we face. Will we trust the God who created the giants in the Promised Land to protect us and guide us while we do what He told us to do?
The antidote to fear is faith. Not just any faith, but faith in the only object of faith who is always able to deliver us; the God who created us. (Hebrews 3:6-19, 2 Timothy 1:7)
God wants to bless us while showing us His glory, but without faith it is impossible to please Him. We must be like the people listed in Hebrews 11, “looking unto Jesus.” (Hebrews 11, 12:1-2)
He has given us everything we need for life and godliness in Christ. Fellowship and fruitfulness are found in the faith of obedience. (2 Peter 1:3-11, John 15:1-8)
Writing to people who were facing serious jeopardy of life and limb in following Christ, God told us through the apostles Paul and Peter to not be anxious, but to bring our concerns to Him. (Matthew 6:25-33, 13:22, Philippians 4:6, 1 Peter 4:19, 5:7, 1 Samuel 30:6)
Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego while facing a fiery furnace and a very powerful furious king, we must intentionally give our attention to the God who is with us. (Matthew 28:20b)