Obstacles to Mission & Discipleship

Hey there-ever been on a journey to somewhere and hit a pothole, roadblock or obstacle that sets you back? 

Ever been faced with starting something new that you know is good for you, but feel like you have so many mental constraints, excuses or setbacks? 

I know I have had my share of excuses and obstacles in life and particularly in relation to the mission of Jesus. 

As we are going in the everyday we are to be making disciples of Jesus. In the eating, celebrating, working, resting, blessing and simple story telling we do everyday, we are to be making disciples of Jesus. 

The question we are faced with is, what are the common obstacles we either face or make?

Once we have identified the obstacles, how do we overcome & stay there? 

Here are top five obstacles to mission & discipleship I have experienced over the years: 

5. Too Busy

My schedule is full, I have no more time to put towards the mission. What I have come to realize is my busy obstacle was a priority problem in my life. It was a question of is what I’m busy with supporting the priority of Jesus’s mission or supporting my own mission? Too busy became a distant memory while priority around seeing Jesus in the everyday, bringing Him and His message into the ordinary rhythms of life became regular. 

4. Too Hard

Sharing the Gospel, my story, my life, my everything seemed insurmountable. It felt impossible for me to do. I felt inadequate and ill equipped. This way of thinking over the years has crept in and paralyzed me. How about you? What I have found is God patiently meet me in my feelings of inadequacy, ill equipping and plain old winey “it’s too hard” syndrome and remind me of some amazing realties: I am a child of God and am resourced with His Presence. I am part of a family, the Church, who is resourced to train me, coach me and support me. Finally in Jesus I already have everything I need done for me so that nothing is too hard!

3. Too Much

When I began thinking about missional living as discipleship I thought, that is too much to do. Yet as I began to realign my priorities around Jesus’s priorities in my everyday, I found the too much became too much fun! Being able to listen to people, hear their stories, share your’s, eat together, ask for prayer, ask to pray with and simply bless in the rhythms of life was TOO MUCH FUN! 

2. Too Costly

Early on re-learning missional living as discipleship I thought “this is going to cost me a fortune.” I thought about how much food was involved and thought for sure I’m going to gain weight and lose time and money. The funny thing is I have found it to be the opposite. I have saved time by restructuring around our everyday rhythms, I have saved money because people love potlucks and I’ve actually lost weight, cumulatively speaking. 

1. Too Selfish

 The number one reason I found at the core of all the other reasons was I was too selfish. I like my space, my money, my time, my my my. The beauty of the Gospel is I have been crucified with Christ and NO LONGER LIVE, but Jesus lives in me so that the life I NOW LIVE is one of faith in Jesus who loved and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

The Gospel reality is I have died, by Jesus giving selflessly so that by trusting in him moment by moment I can live as a conduit of that selflessness in the everyday rhythms of life on Jesus’s mission of discipleship. 

Maybe you have your own obstacles or excuses not mentioned above. Identify, Shine the Gospel Light into them & Intentionally turn towards Jesus mission & get going!