--- description: Six quiet traps missionaries fall into on the field, from complacency and burnout to comparison and neglecting time with God, and how to stay on course. title: 6 Traps Missionaries Fall Into image: https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/Blog%20Images/AI/wrg-mission-field-trail.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/6-traps-missionaries-fall-into#main-content) [![WRG-Logo-white](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/WRG-Logo-white.png) ![WRG-Logo-black](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/WRG-Logo-black.png)](https://withinreachglobal.org/) - [Why the unreached](https://withinreachglobal.org/why-the-unreached) - Get involved ##### [Mission trips Come as an individual or bring your team to Thailand for 7-14 days on the front lines.](https://withinreachglobal.org/trips) ##### [Apprenticeship 3, 6, or 12 months of discipleship and hands-on ministry in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 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We see His provision, His love, and His power to change lives, including our own. But the enemy does not want any of that to happen. He knows missionaries usually have their guard up against obvious temptations, so he often uses quieter snares to slow us down and pull us away from our calling. Over the years, our team has watched these traps catch missionaries again and again, and many missionaries tell us they wish someone had warned them before they arrived. Here are six traps to watch for, and how to stay on course. ## 1. Becoming comfortable and complacent When we first arrive, everything is new: the culture, the language, the food, the streets. We are thrilled to finally be among the people God put on our hearts while we prayed back home. But after a couple of years, the mission field becomes home. We speak the language, know where to shop, and have settled into our routines. The people around us no longer feel new. Slowly, we can lose the urgency that first brought us here and begin to think we are already doing "enough." This is a trap. We need to keep coming before the Lord in prayer for the people around us, asking Him to keep growing His heart for them in us. And we need to keep pressing on in faith toward everything He has promised, not stopping after we have seen only a handful of those promises fulfilled. > "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9) ## 2. Forgetting to care for yourself We arrive ready to give our lives for the people we are called to. We open our homes, take late-night phone calls, travel to villages, teach, lead worship, pray, and share the gospel. We love people with God's love, and we see lives change. But somewhere along the way, it is easy to stop caring for ourselves. Health suffers. Sleep disappears. Discouragement and depression creep in, and burnout follows. We are called to lay down our lives and put others first. But we cannot reflect the beauty of Jesus well if we are running on empty. Jesus Himself invites us to rest. > "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) It is okay to take breaks. Rest is not a lack of faith. It is part of faithfulness. ## 3. Letting your vision get cloudy Most missionaries arrive with a clear sense of what God has called them to do: care for orphans, reach a particular unreached people group, train leaders, or something else He has placed on their hearts. Then they see the overwhelming need. Other missionaries ask for help. Local believers invite them into new projects. One "yes" quickly becomes many, and before long they are trying to be all things to all people. God can certainly reshape our vision and connect us with others. But we need to let Him direct our days, not simply the size of the need or the pull of our emotions. Stay close to what He has asked of you, and trust Him with the rest. [![The Mind of a Missionary book](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/The-Mind-of-a-Missionary-2nd-edition.png) Free course · 13 lessons The Mind of a Missionary Start free →](https://withinreachglobal.org/the-mind-of-a-missionary-course) ## 4. Living with a divided heart Moving overseas means leaving family, friends, work, and a whole way of life behind. It is hard, both for the people we love and for us. Today, video calls, social media and quick flights home are a real blessing. But they can also make it easy to live with one foot in and one foot out. We can be physically present on the field while our hearts are still mostly back home. The same tension shows up in our relationships on the field. Some missionaries spend nearly all their time with local friends and neglect the encouragement of fellow workers until they are worn out. Others drift into spending most of their time with other expats and slowly lose touch with the very people they came to serve. We need both. We are here to share Jesus with local people and help them grow into mature disciples and leaders. We also need fellow workers who can share our joys, sorrows, battles, and dreams. Ask the Father for the right balance each day, and stay connected to home without living a split life. > "Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." (Jeremiah 29:7) Many missionaries of earlier generations left home knowing they might never return. Their wholehearted "yes" left a remarkable legacy. Let's live fully, body, heart, and soul, where God has placed us. ## 5. Comparing yourself to others Each of us is called to a specific purpose. We arrive excited about the ideas and strategies God has given us, and we often join with others of a similar calling to form a team. Then we notice others who seem to see more fruit. Their language is better. They have more resources. Local people seem to love them. Without realizing it, our focus shifts from our calling to comparison and competition. The truth is that God gives each of us the right plan for the people He has sent us to reach, and He does the same for others. His heart is for all people, so He uses many different teams, approaches and individuals to reach them. > "Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else." (Galatians 6:4) Instead of competing, we can cheer each other on. In the end, we share the same goal: to love Jesus and help others love Him too. ## 6. Being too busy for time with God Before we leave home, most of us are soaked in prayer, trusting God fully for this new life. In the early months overseas, that relationship often grows even deeper, because we have to depend on Him for everything. But as ministry grows, it becomes easy to be too busy serving God to spend time with Him. Late nights turn into rushed mornings. A few minutes in Scripture and a quick prayer become the norm. Soon we are tired and unsure of our direction. The most important part of ministry is time alone with Jesus. That is where He reminds us who we are and fills us again with His love. > "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Even when ministry feels like it is falling apart, hold on to Jesus. ## Would you pray with us? - For missionaries to keep their first love for Jesus and for the people they serve - For rest, health, and healthy rhythms for those on the field - For clear vision and wise priorities for our team and our local missionaries - For unity among missionaries and teams working to bring gospel access to unreached people groups If you are preparing for [long-term missions](https://withinreachglobal.org/long-term), or simply want to get a taste of the field first on a [short-term mission trip](https://withinreachglobal.org/trips), we would love to walk with you. Share this story [mailto:?subject=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3E6+Traps+Missionaries+Fall+Into%3C%2Fspan%3E&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwithinreachglobal.org%2Ffield-stories%2F6-traps-missionaries-fall-into](mailto:?subject=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3E6+Traps+Missionaries+Fall+Into%3C%2Fspan%3E&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwithinreachglobal.org%2Ffield-stories%2F6-traps-missionaries-fall-into) ![Within Reach Global](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/WRG-Logo-favicon-black.png) #### Within Reach Global Within Reach Global, reaching unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window since 1997. ## Be part of the next story Your giving sends the gospel to communities that have never heard it. Give once, or join the movement monthly. [Donate](https://withinreachglobal.org/donate) [More field stories](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories) Keep reading ## More from the field [![A lone traveler on a jungle trail](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/Blog%20Images/AI/wrg-mission-field-trail.jpg)](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/6-traps-missionaries-fall-into) From the Frontlines ### [6 Traps Missionaries Fall Into](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/6-traps-missionaries-fall-into) Oct 22, 2026, 10:26:42 AM [![](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/Group%20Portrait%20In%20Original%20Room%20Setting.png)](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/i-used-to-predict-futures.-then-god-gave-me-one) Within Reach ### [I Used to Predict Futures. Then God Gave Me One.](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/i-used-to-predict-futures.-then-god-gave-me-one) Oct 21, 2026, 11:21:39 AM [![](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/Elderly%20Man%20Watching%20Jesus%20Film%20In%20Southeast%20Asian%20Village.png)](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/the-man-who-waited-84-years-to-hear-about-jesus) Beyond Reach ### [The Man Who Waited 84 Years to Hear About Jesus](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/the-man-who-waited-84-years-to-hear-about-jesus) Oct 14, 2026, 10:29:30 AM [![](https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/Chinese%20Woman%20Being%20Baptized.png)](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/six-years-to-yes) Within Reach ### [Six Years to Yes!](https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/six-years-to-yes) Sep 27, 2026, 10:48:01 PM ## Reach the unreached with us. 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Box 1591, Prescott, AZ 86302 501(c)(3) Public Charity | EIN: 26-3499455 × × ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Within Reach Global", "url" : "https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/author/within-reach-global" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-22T14:26:42.191Z", "datePublished" : "2026-10-22T14:26:42.000Z", "headline" : "6 Traps Missionaries Fall Into", "image" : [ "https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/Blog%20Images/AI/wrg-mission-field-trail.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/6-traps-missionaries-fall-into", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://withinreachglobal.org/hubfs/WRG-horizontal-logo.png" } } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Within Reach Global" }, "dateModified" : "1792679202198", "datePublished" : "2026-10-22 14:26:42", "description" : "Six quiet traps missionaries fall into on the field, from complacency and burnout to comparison and neglecting time with God, and how to stay on course.", "headline" : "<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >6 Traps Missionaries Fall Into</span>", "image" : "https://245175322.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/245175322/Blog%20Images/AI/wrg-mission-field-trail.jpg", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://withinreachglobal.org/field-stories/6-traps-missionaries-fall-into", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Within Reach Global" } } ```