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The aim of the missionary is to do God's will, not to be useful, not to win the heathan; he is useful and does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord.
Oswald Chambers
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The true purpose of a missionary is to fulfill God's will rather than seeking personal usefulness or success.

This quote emphasizes that the primary motivation of a missionary should be to obey and fulfill the will of God, rather than focusing on the outcomes of their actions such as being useful or converting others. It suggests that while effectiveness may occur as a result of their efforts, it should not be the core intention; the ultimate aim is divine obedience and service.

Themes

MissionaryGod'S WillPurposeFaithObedience

In practice

Example use cases

In a sermon discussing purpose in life, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of intentions over results.

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Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer.
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Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God.
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When we preach the love of God there is a danger of forgetting that the Bible reveals not first the love of God but the intense, blazing holiness of God, with His love at the center of that holiness.
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It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we mistake panic for inspiration.
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Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion.
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Quote by Oswald Chambers | QuoteProject