{"id":7818,"date":"2018-04-11T10:54:06","date_gmt":"2018-04-11T14:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/?p=7818"},"modified":"2018-04-11T10:58:25","modified_gmt":"2018-04-11T14:58:25","slug":"grit-in-global-purpose-practical-mobilization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/?p=7818","title":{"rendered":"Grit in Global Purpose | Practical Mobilization"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"gritSeven practical ways grit gets us where we need to go.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Shane Bennett<\/p>\n

Who does this: Who says to a reasonably smart person, \u201cHey, wanna go live in a really hot, hard place, do really hard work which might not accomplish much in terms of visible results, annoy your kids and parents, and, get this, raise your own salary? Cool, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n

And what sort of person replies, \u201cI\u2019m in!\u201d?<\/p>\n

In both cases, these are the sorts of people I want to hang out with. I\u2019m guessing they are the kind of people who read Missions Catalyst. And they are the kind of people who have a measure of grit but can always use more.<\/p>\n

In a popular TED talk<\/a>, psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth identifies grit\u2014passion and perseverance for long-term goals\u2014as a key indicator of success in any challenging endeavor. Emotional Intelligence expert Travis Bradberry springboards off her research in an article called 10 habits of mentally strong people<\/a> and describes the practical facets of grit that help us get where we need to go in life.<\/p>\n

\u201cMental strength… is that unique combination of passion, tenacity, and stamina that enables you to stick with your goals until they become a reality.\u201d \u2014Travis Bradberry<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTo increase your mental strength, you simply need to change your outlook,\u201d says Bradberry. \u201cWhen hard times hit, people with mental strength suffer just as much as everyone else. The difference is that they understand that life\u2019s challenging moments offer valuable lessons. In the end, it\u2019s these tough lessons that build the strength you need to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seven of the habits he encourages are particularly helpful to us in missions, mission mobilization, and other global pursuits. Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n

I may be just writing to myself here. You probably excel at many of them already. Run with whatever fits you from this list, because, believe me, I want you to succeed. You\u2019re walking a tough road. We need you to succeed.<\/p>\n

And, at the risk of sounding too much like Joel Osteen, I\u2019ll add: God has made you to succeed.<\/p>\n

1. You have to fight when you already feel defeated.<\/h3>\n

There are moments of honesty when, considering it\u2019s been a little over 2000 years since Jesus gave us the Great Commission and that we still have a long way to go, I wonder what the heck is going on. I consider the years I have left, my limited capacity, and the task ahead, and I think, \u201cNot gonna happen, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

In times of defeat like this, it\u2019s good to have two things: first, a deep sense that it\u2019s God\u2019s gig before it\u2019s yours, and, second, some friends who will remind you of that and push you back into the fight.<\/p>\n

2. You have to delay gratification.<\/h3>\n

You know the marshmallow experiment, right? \u201cHey, little kid. You can eat this marshmallow now, or wait until I come back and you can have two.\u201d The kids who waited grew up to win spelling bees and start Google.<\/p>\n

Mission mobilizers can go for the quick response by describing needs. Or we can hold out for the deep value shift by sharing God\u2019s global purposes. Missionaries may be tempted to forsake their call and go for the raised hand, the prayed prayer or the satisfaction (sometimes) of pastoring people who are already Christian.<\/p>\n

Choose to pioneer discipleship movements among unengaged people? That will likely require delayed gratification. If that is your work, may you find enduring grace for the road you walk. Struggling? See item 1.<\/p>\n

3. You have to make mistakes, look like an idiot, and try again.<\/h3>\n

Where I live, the only people who don\u2019t pursue the American dream are the crazies. Maybe people look at you like you\u2019re crazy. In following Jesus, we\u2019ve got to decide we don\u2019t care what most people think of us.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tricky balance that calls for wisdom and humility. You\u2019ll make bad calls. You could be accused of stuff you didn\u2019t do or assigned motives you don\u2019t possess. Bring it all before God. Repent where appropriate. Then, in his grace, move on.<\/p>\n

Of course, if you drop your sweet self into a foreign culture instead of just sticking with your own people, you\u2019re going to look like an idiot. The only way to avoid it is to stay home. Trouble is, if you\u2019re the kind of person who can do the work to get yourself to a different culture, you\u2019re likely not accustomed to looking dumb.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re not dumb, generally: You\u2019re just dumb here. In this situation. For a little bit. Avoid it and it lasts forever. Embrace the awkwardness and you can conquer it.<\/p>\n

4. You have to keep your emotions in check.<\/h3>\n

Bradberry says, \u201cWhile it\u2019s impossible not to feel your emotions, it\u2019s completely under your power to manage them effectively and to keep yourself in control of them.\u201d Paul says, \u201cWe take every thought captive and make it a slave to Christ\u201d\u00a0(2 Corinthians 10:5<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Fear, anger, and despair are all a part of following Jesus, maybe more so if you\u2019re walking the tough road of advancing God\u2019s kingdom in new places.<\/p>\n

Again, a growing understanding of God and the support of others who journey with you are helpful here. I might also recommend a book I\u2019m reading, John Ortberg\u2019s Soul Keeping<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you feel like you\u2019re about to step off the edge, step back and take some time off. If you think you might be in trouble but aren\u2019t sure, ask your wife, husband, supervisor, or a friend who will shoot straight with you.<\/p>\n

You know this, but it bears repeating: God cares more about you than your work.<\/p>\n

5. You have to make the calls you\u2019re afraid to make.<\/h3>\n

Tell a donor, \u201cNo, now is not a good time for a visit.\u201d Send a troubled short-termer home early. Launch out into new work when you\u2019d feel more comfortable growing what\u2019s already begun. Call for a fundraising appointment when everything in you wants to email or text, instead.<\/p>\n

You know those tough things on your list: Get on them.<\/p>\n

Bradberry says, \u201cEvery moment spent dreading the task subtracts time and energy from actually getting it done. People that learn to habitually make the tough calls stand out like flamingos in a flock of seagulls.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. You have to lead when no one else follows.<\/h3>\n

Countless heroes of modern missions initially set forth to uncharted territory largely on their own. They had a good role model: When Jesus \u201cset his face toward Jerusalem\u201d (Luke 9:51<\/a>), no one in the entourage thought it was a good idea. And up until Sunday morning, it looked like they were right.<\/p>\n

Mission mobilizers often start building new work in new places amid the chorus of, \u201cThere\u2019s so much need right here!\u201d And without doubt, there is need right here. But God calls us forward. And like the priests of Israel, we may find those first few steps in the Jordan pretty scary and lonely.<\/p>\n

7. You have to focus on the details even when it makes your mind numb.<\/h3>\n

I almost left this one off the list. But since I\u2019m mostly writing this to myself anyway, I decided to push it out (see item 5).<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what\u2019s on your list, but here are some possibilities: Mind the budget, book the Airbnb, write and send in the proposal, keep track of who\u2019s in the pipeline or where people are on their journey to Jesus, send thank-you notes, go to language class and do the homework after, organize the paperwork for your residence permit, remember your anniversary and the kids\u2019 birthdays\u2026 These things must be done.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve chosen a challenging road. May God\u2019s grace abound for you, building grit for the long haul. Really, what is our hope without it?<\/p>\n

I\u2019d love to hear your thoughts. Respond to this email or post them on our website or Facebook page.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Seven practical ways grit gets us where we need to go. By Shane Bennett Who does this: Who says to a reasonably smart person, \u201cHey, wanna go live in a really hot, hard place, do really hard work which might not accomplish much in terms of visible results, annoy your kids and parents, and, get … Continue reading Grit in Global Purpose | Practical Mobilization<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-practical-mobilization"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7818"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7822,"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7818\/revisions\/7822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}