Uncomfortable in Cancun — Phillip Warfield

Originally posted on SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Jesus is the One, tell ‘em all please

Never hide the Son, brother let them all see

‘Cuz He gon’ be the One that can set us all free

Freedom through the Son that’s what everybody need

Please tell ‘em all (Go, Go, Go)

Please tell ‘em–that the Son about to get it, this the Gospel that I’m spreading.

S.O. (featuring Andy Mineo) | “Tell Em All” | So It Continues

Welcome back to Phil’s Philosophies! Today’s blog is a journal excerpt from my time in Cancun, Mexico as a short-term missionary this past summer. Mission work is another one of my philosophies, and maybe it might inspire you to try something similar: be uncomfortable.

As I write this, I’m about to drive off to my third service here in Cancun, Mexico. Right now, I’m a missionary with the Evangelistic Resource Center at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. This past semester was pretty difficult. Between the sixteen credit classes, a professor that couldn’t ever make up their mind, an oral history project that took over two months to complete, maintaining a new and loving relationship, and working two jobs that had me working twenty-four hours a week, life was hard. I expected to come to Cancun and preach the sermons that were so familiar to me when I spoke these very same messages four years ago in the deep jungles of Costa Rica. Instead, I’ve been hit with even more difficult tasks. Something told me I would not be able to rest on a beachfront and enjoy some peace and tranquility for the duration that we’re here.

“So go and tell people of all nations the good news and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them everything I’ve taught you. I’ll always be with you, even until the end of the world.” – Matthew 28:19, 20

All school year, I’ve been trying to learn and be comfortable with being an uncomfortable Christian. I’ve made being uncomfortable my theme in life for the year, and I feel that I’ve needed to make some changes to my personal life. As Christians, we should be uncomfortable, and if we are always comfortable where we are—not growing, not learning, not doing anything new—there’s something wrong. I’ve always sought after purpose. I want to be happy, and I want to feel fulfilled, just as so many others do. Here in Cancun, I just want the Word to be shared. I want the Holy Spirit to use me to win souls, but I cannot do that if I can’t keep the audience’s attention and be personable, due to a serious language barrier. Unfortunately, my dilemma now is that my translator isn’t really a translator at all, she can barely speak English, but she happens to be one of the best English speakers in the church, which sadly, isn’t saying much.

“Whatever you ask me to do for you, I’ll do it, as long as you ask for it in the same spirit that I would. Then your actions will glorify the Father just as mine have. So ask for what you need in order to accomplish my mission and I’ll do it for you.” – John 14:13, 14

* * * * * *

Christ came through. I walked into the sanctuary, a bit disheartened at first, but hopeful that if I was really sent by God, then He would make all things work together for good. So I kept my chin up. It had been about ten minutes, and I sat there waiting for my translators who had spoken for me earlier today and yesterday. They never showed up. The service still hadn’t started, and as I mingled with the congregation, I stumbled upon a girl who’d talked to me after this morning’s sermon. Her name was Paola, and she spoke perfect English! Lord, earlier she told me she could only translate on Sabbaths, and I understand that. Today, however, is important. I’m still trying to make a good first impression on my first full day speaking here. In order to get people to keep coming, I need them to be interested. If not ever again, I need Paola tonight. I need a good translator. As I prayed all of this to God in my mind, I asked Paola to be my translator, at least for today, since she has school and work during the week. She agreed, and I couldn’t be any happier.

The sermon went beautifully. I knew for sure that the Lord was in that room, and that He was speaking to the hearts of everyone within that room, including myself. I was able to completely introduce myself, use hilarious, but effective, illustrations, maintain great eye contact, make an effective appeal, lead a song, and tell personal stories. The audience was completely in tune with everything being said, and that’s what I needed. Christ was working for both parties: I needed to feel like what I was doing mattered, I sought fulfillment; while the audience needed to hear the message, as perhaps there was a person who needed to know that Christ forgives all sins, including theirs.

I knew that tonight might’ve been one of the few and far between good nights whilst being here, but at least one of the most important messages was understood by all: Christ’s forgiveness. I was hoping that others would not be trapped in a web of sin and realize that Jesus could always forgive us, and I felt that this message was especially important in a predominately Roman Catholic-based Latin American culture. If no one was able to ever understand a word I said ever again, at least they knew that Christ died for them and loved them more than anyone ever could.

I was just about to leave, but I decided to test God again. Lord, tonight the message was beautiful, and I thank you for using me to win others to your kingdom. Thank you for helping me feel fulfilled. Now God, I ask for one more thing. Can Paola be my translator for the duration that I’m here? I know she has school and work, but I need a translator for this message to be shared. It’s not that I don’t trust you enough, even if I didn’t have a translator I know you would provide, but I’m asking you for a translator to give me peace of mind. As I prayed this prayer, I approached Paola after the service. “I’ve decided to move around my schedule so that I can come every night and translate for you. The work that you’re doing here is much more important. This message needs to be shared as best as possible, and I want to help you do that!” Paola said, without any hesitation.

Uncomfortable. If we step out in faith, knowing that God is going to help us through all that we ask, He’ll always come through. As Christians, we are called to be uncomfortable, and if we are comfortable then something is wrong. I encourage and appeal to each of you that hear this story or read it. Be unashamed and realize that it’s okay to be comfortable being uncomfortable.