Have you ever visited a new city, a new restaurant, or a new destination that took some planning? The first thing we usually do is get the advice of people who have been there before. My wife and I traveled to almost every state in the US, and I was always looking for wisdom of those who had been where we wanted to go. A few times, it literally saved our lives. Proverbs 22:3 warns us, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” The saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20”—but trust me you don’t want hindsight. You want wisdom. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Much of your mission journey is uncharted territory. But there are people who can help you avoid the mistakes of the past, adjust quickly, and gain advantage from lessons they learned the hard way.

Some wisdom is not even related to missions, but could be wisdom about life, money, marriage, conflict, or ministry that is all helpful to you. Wisdom is an inheritance most people don’t get from their parents. So, ironically, the wisest thing you can do is slow down and get wisdom. Proverbs 4:7 reminds us, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”

The following tools and steps are a guide to help you think through the areas of life you might need to invite additional wisdom into your plans. God protects us through His word and through the counsel of godly men and women who have gone before us. Proverbs 15:22 warns us, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” Don’t be foolish enough to think you can figure it all out on your own. Even if you plan to work in an area that has had no success in gospel work, it doesn’t mean you can’t learn from those who have tried. Proverbs 12:15 describes it this way, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Don’t think you can go at this alone. Proverbs 18:1 warns, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” Grow before you go by asking for wisdom from spiritual leaders in a local church. Ask for wisdom from other successful people around you in areas like business and leadership Connect with a trusted mission agency to find out what lessons they have learned from past work. Proverbs 13:16 says, “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” Most of all, saturate your mind with wisdom from God’s Word. The Bible is full of stories of faith and of failure, and you are meant to learn from all of God’s Word. The Bible is full of hindsight so that your future can be full of wisdom.