Dealing with Scum

“When you go to the mission field, the first thing you will have to face is all the personal scum that will rise to the surface.”  I had heard this same advice from many missionaries prior to my coming to Bangladesh.  Sadly, it is true.  Since my arrival in Bangladesh, I’ve had to deal with some scum and it’s not been a pretty sight.

I stated from the beginning of this blog that it would be a transparent one.  There is no sense in misleading others into thinking the mission field is for super spiritual people.  It is not.  However, it is a place for people who are honest and transparent with God because that is what it will require to overcome the scum and move into the next spiritual dimension.  If a person does not have an honest relationship with God or a strong prayer life prior to the mission field, upon arrival, they will either develop one very quickly or die a sudden spiritual death.

“Before you can accomplish any great endeavor for God, you must first of all face and conquer fear.”  This great advice was given to me by Sis. Vani Marshall, a former missionary.  Fear is the enemy’s most-used tactic and it has been the primary scum I’ve had to deal with in Bangladesh.  I’ve discovered that fear wears many masks: failure, abandonment, lack of trust, self-pity, loneliness, just to name a few.  No matter which mask fear wears, its underlying motive is to distract the person from the purpose and destiny of God.  A person who is not transparent may try to ignore fear, hoping it will go away as they busy themselves in the work of God.  An honest person will acknowledge the fear to God and then lean heavily upon Him and His Word for the solution. 

I am thankful for honest, transparent leadership in Bangladesh that recognizes the scum process and advised me, “Every missionary will experience this when they first arrive.  Don’t skip the process, but allow God to purify you and cleanse you.  If you ignore it, it will eventually rear its ugly head again.  It's better to go through the process in the beginning before you get involved in the work of God.”  They were not afraid to confront the spirit of fear that was attempting to overtake me.  They spoke vision and authority into my life.  Even though the scum has not been pretty, I am thankful for the purification process.  It is necessary for us to empty ourselves before God can truly fill us with Himself.  The world needs to see Jesus, not the scum.