Strength In His Presence

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

— Philippians 4:13

Before I knew it, I was already entering my fifth month in the mission field. I thought I was beginning to understand what missionary life was like—but August showed me that I still had much to learn. That month, my partner and I had to take full responsibility for all the evening services and Sabbath programs on our own.

At first, I honestly did not know if I could handle it. Every new service order felt like another responsibility I might not be able to fulfill. I had to handle more service assignments and responsibilities than I had experienced in Korea, and the language barrier made everything even more difficult. Whenever my partner led the services in Visayan, the members understood her well and responded warmly. But when it was my turn to speak in English, I often felt discouraged and lacked confidence.

I even felt apologetic for speaking a language that was not their own. The pressure became greater because we had to lead Sabbath programs continuously from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Instead of looking forward to Sabbath as a day of rest and joy, I found myself constantly worrying: “How can I lead the program well? How can I help the members enjoy a meaningful Sabbath?” Even preparing the Sabbath School lesson was difficult. Understanding the lesson in Korean was already challenging, but explaining it in English made me more aware of my limitations.

Sabbath became my busiest and most stressful day, and I felt sad because I wanted the members and myself to experience a joyful Sabbath. However, through these struggles, God showed me the importance of preparation. I realized that preparing for Sabbath could not begin only when Sabbath arrived. After several Sabbaths of feeling anxious and inadequate, I began to ask myself what I could change. Upon pondering and praying, I realized that my problem was not simply the language. I realized that I had been preparing for the Sabbath program, but I had not been preparing myself for the Sabbath.

I was also approaching Sabbath as something I had to survive rather than something I could prepare for and receive with joy. The words in 1 Timothy 4:12–13 about being an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity challenged me. I realized that God was not asking me to become a perfect speaker. He was asking me to become an example—even in my weakness.

Looking back on August, I realized that God was using these difficulties to strengthen my faith. Instead of facing Sabbath with anxiety, I began preparing daily–studying the lessons more deeply and preparing activities according to the needs of our members. For Sabbath afternoon, I also set aside time to teach new hymns and Scripture songs to our beginner members. At first, I worried about how they would respond. But when I saw their bright smiles and heard their laughter, I felt comforted and encouraged.

Looking back, I realized that God was using these difficulties not only to help me serve others, but also to strengthen my own faith. My weaknesses were not removed; instead, they became reminders to depend on Him. As I continue to arm myself with God’s Word, prepare each day, and depend on Him in my weakness, I believe He will continue to work through me, turning the responsibilities that once overwhelmed me into opportunities to grow.

Name: Bang, Minhee/66th Batch

Hometown: South Korea

Mission Field: New Loon Asuncion Davao Del Norte