Navigating Officialdom and Trusting God
Returning to Thailand after a long time away, my family and I have had a lot more government related paperwork and encounters with government offices and officials than we have had in a long time. This has especially been true for visa applications and immigration related tasks as we’ve left the U.S. and come in and out of Thailand and Malaysia before finally coming into Thailand with the right kind of visas. We’re not done yet though, because even though we are back in Thailand on the right visas, a work permit needs to be applied for and additional paperwork and address verifications need to be accomplished certain tasks, such as buying a vehicle.
Royal Thai Consulate General, Penang, Malaysia
Once all this initial paperwork and bureaucracy is settled, there will be annual visa renewals for the whole family in order to retain permission to stay in Thailand. We’re thankful for our mission organization’s staff to help guide us through the paperwork, and for the advice and experience of missionary friends, colleagues, and people on internet forums, but there is always a cloud of uncertainty and tenuousness that hangs over the whole process. Do we have ALL the right documents? Are we missing something? Will the official examining our docs require something previously unknown? Will the official give us the right stamp with the right date? Are our photos to the exact specifications that this particular government office requires (which may be different than another government office)? The right to stay in our host country can never be assumed. We are always here by the good graces of the government of our host country, a status that can be revoked at any time. The situation in Thailand is not nearly as tenuous as some places but there is always uncertainty that presses me to turn to God.
As I’ve applied and renewed visas and gone through immigration checkpoints time and time again over the years, a Bible verse that often comes to mind is Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” In the human sphere, governments and their officials have sovereignty over their domains. They have power and authority to give individuals the “yea” or “nay” and their word is final, especially for those who are foreigners. However, this world and all its peoples are ultimately under the rule of God who created the heavens and the earth. The proverb quoted above teaches us that if God wishes to direct a human authority or government in a certain direction, He can make that happen. In terms of immigration status, if God wants my family and I to live and serve in a certain country, then He can guide the relevant officials and offices to grant that permission. This does not mean that I can be cavalier about getting paperwork in order. I must do my best to respect the authority of the relevant officials and government agents. But at the end of the day, remembering this proverb and the ultimate sovereignty of God over all things helps me to be less anxious and afraid when approaching and interacting with the powers that be.
I still struggle with all the “what if...?!” fears about what could happen if we don’t get approved, if we are missing a document, or if we meet an official who decides to make life difficult for us for some reason. But all of this uncertainty can be a good thing because it forces me to turn to God and remember that all our times are in His hands, that He is good, and He does what is good and best. So, whether we receive the desired government approvals or not, God is still in control and is actively directing our lives as He desires. God will bring us to where He wants us to be.
