By Pastor Chidi Prince Mbuko
For many Nigerians, “japa” has become shorthand for escaping economic difficulty. But is every opportunity abroad God’s opportunity for you?
There is a question I have been asked repeatedly by people seeking my counsel:
“Pastor, should I japa?”
For those unfamiliar with the Nigerian expression, “japa” is commonly used to describe relocating from Nigeria to another country, particularly in search of better economic opportunities, security, education, career prospects or quality of life.
It’s not a new phenomenon, people have always moved from one place to another in search of better conditions, greater opportunities, security or a new beginning. Migration is part of human history, and personally, I am not against it. In fact, I understand why many people desire it.
I have travelled to Western Countries like the United States, and I remember the striking difference I experienced the first time I arrived. The infrastructure, systems, organisation and opportunities made me appreciate how differently societies can function.
There are places where systems work better, opportunities are more accessible and certain aspects of life can be considerably easier than they are in Nigeria.
There is nothing inherently unspiritual about recognising that reality. But there is a deeper question.
Should you relocate simply because another country appears better?
That is where the matter becomes spiritual because relocation and divine direction are not always the same thing.
God Is Not Against Relocation
One of the mistakes Christians can make is assuming that leaving one’s country automatically represents a lack of faith. Scripture does not support that conclusion.
God Himself instructed Abram to leave his country, his kindred and his father’s house:
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.”
— Genesis 12:1, KJV
Abraham relocated.
And notice something important about this instruction; God did not merely tell him to leave, He told him where his movement was connected:
“unto a land that I will shew thee.”
That distinction matters.
The issue was not simply geography, it was divine direction.
Abraham was not relocating because he had seen somebody else’s lifestyle on Instagram and decided that his own country was no longer good enough, rather He was responding to God.
That gives us our first principle:
Relocation is not inherently spiritual or unspiritual. The question is whether the relocation is aligned with God’s purpose for you.
Abraham Also Went to Egypt During Famine
There is another fascinating dimension to Abraham’s story. Scripture records that there was a famine in the land:
“And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.”
— Genesis 12:10, KJV
Abraham temporarily relocated to Egypt because of the severe famine.
And when he eventually came out of Egypt, Scripture records:
“And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.”
— Genesis 13:2, KJV
The point is not that Egypt automatically makes people wealthy, the point is that Scripture does not portray every movement into another territory as rebellion against God.
Sometimes moving is wisdom, and sometimes the wisdom is in staying.
Sometimes the same action that was appropriate for one person is completely inappropriate for another.
That becomes even clearer in the story of Isaac.
Isaac Wanted to Go to Egypt, But God Said No
Another famine came during Isaac’s lifetime.
Naturally, considering what his father Abraham had done during famine, Isaac had reason to consider Egypt, but God gave him a different instruction.
“And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of.”
— Genesis 26:1–3, KJV
This is one of the most important passages for anyone thinking about relocation.
Same family, same land, similar economic crisis, same temptation to seek a better environment, but different instruction from God.
Abraham went to Egypt during famine, but Isaac was told not to go.
Why?
Because God’s instruction to one person is not automatically His instruction to another person.
As Isaac obeyed, something extraordinary happened afterwards:
“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.”
— Genesis 26:12, KJV
Isaac prospered in the very place he might have been tempted to leave.
That is a powerful lesson.
Your Geography Does Not Automatically Determine Your Destiny
We sometimes unconsciously treat geography as though it possesses magical economic power.
“If only I can get to America…”
“If only I can get to Canada…”
“If only I can get to the UK…”
“If only I can get to Europe…”
Then everything will change.
Sometimes, moving really does create access to opportunities that were previously unavailable, but it is not a substitute for purpose, competence, wisdom, character, relationships, discipline or God’s direction. There are people who relocate and prosper, and there are people who also relocate and struggle.
There are people who relocate and discover extraordinary opportunities, while there are people who relocate and discover that the problems they were running from were not entirely geographical.
While there are people who remain in their country and build extraordinary lives and institutions.
So I would put it this way:
Prosperity is not simply a function of geography. It is also a function of what God has assigned you to do, where He has positioned you, what you know, what you can build, the opportunities available to you, and how wisely you respond to them.
This is why “Where is better?” is sometimes a less important question than: “Where am I supposed to be?”
The Same Place Can Be a Promise to One Person and a Prison to Another
This is where discernment becomes important.
A location is not automatically a blessing because it is developed, neither is it automatically a curse because it is developing. A wealthy country can provide excellent opportunities and still contain people who are financially struggling, lonely, frustrated or directionless.
A developing country can present enormous challenges and still contain people who build thriving businesses, raise families, create institutions and fulfil significant assignments.
The Bible repeatedly shows that God’s dealings with people are personal. The location is important, but the assignment is more important.
Consider Joseph; his destiny did not unfold in the country where he was born. He was taken to Egypt under terrible circumstances, yet Egypt became the platform from which he would eventually exercise extraordinary influence and preserve lives during famine.
That does not mean Joseph should have independently decided, “Egypt is more developed, therefore I must move there.” His story involved a much larger providential process.
This distinction is critical.
A destination can be prosperous and still be wrong for you.
And a difficult environment can still contain an assignment from God.
What About the Children of Israel?
The story of Israel’s movement into Egypt provides another important lesson.
Jacob’s family eventually moved to Egypt during a period of famine. Joseph was already there and had risen to a position of enormous administrative responsibility. The move initially brought provision and protection, but generations later, the descendants of Israel found themselves under Egyptian oppression.
This should make us careful about simplistic conclusions.
A move can solve one problem without solving every future problem.
A decision that makes sense economically today may have consequences that are difficult to anticipate tomorrow.
That is why major life decisions require more than immediate calculations.
You need to consider:
- Purpose
- Timing
- Family
- Values
- Career
- Finances
- Legal realities
- Community
- Spiritual life
- Long-term consequences
And for the Christian, there is another dimension:
What is God saying?
Do Not Japa Because Everybody Else Is Japaing
This is perhaps one of the greatest dangers of the current migration conversation.
You see your friend’s pictures from London.
Another person posts from Toronto.
Someone else is showing you their new apartment in Texas.
Another person is posting pictures from Germany.
Then you begin asking: “What am I still doing here?”
But social media is an extremely poor tool for making life-changing decisions.
You are seeing the destination, but you are not necessarily seeing the immigration process.
You are not seeing the loneliness, the cost of accommodation, the taxes, the long working hours, the immigration restrictions, the years of rebuilding, the emotional cost of leaving family and familiar community behind.
And you certainly cannot see God’s assignment for another person by looking at their Instagram page.
Do not use somebody else’s highlight reel to make your life’s biggest decision.
Neither Should You Stay Because You Are Afraid
There is also an opposite error.
Some people have received a genuine opportunity to relocate, but fear keeps them in a place God may be calling them to leave.
They say:
“But Abraham left.”
Another person says:
“But Isaac stayed.”
Both are biblical, and that is precisely the point.
There is no universal biblical command that every Christian must remain in their country or that every Christian should relocate. The Christian life requires discernment.
Paul travelled.
The early Church spread across geographical boundaries.
Joseph operated in Egypt.
Daniel served in Babylon.
Esther occupied a strategic position within a foreign empire.
And yet there were also people whose assignment was connected to remaining where they were.
The question is not:
“What are Christians generally doing?”
The question is:
“Lord, what are You saying to me?”
Sometimes Your Assignment Is Outside Your Country
We should also be careful not to spiritualise staying. There are people whose greatest opportunities, assignments and relationships may genuinely be outside the country where they were born.
Perhaps your career requires an environment with a particular ecosystem, or you have an opportunity to study and acquire skills that will significantly expand your capacity.
Perhaps your family circumstances make relocation sensible, and God is opening a door into another nation.
Perhaps your assignment involves building something globally rather than locally.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that. The Great Commission itself is international:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…”
— Matthew 28:19, KJV
God is not limited by national borders.
The question is whether your movement is purposeful or merely reactive.
And Sometimes Your Assignment Is to Stay
This is the part many people do not want to hear.
You may have a genuine opportunity to leave and still be called to remain.
Isaac is a biblical example.
God essentially told him:
Do not go down to Egypt. Stay here. And Isaac prospered where he was.
Sometimes the greatest miracle is not God taking you out of a difficult environment, it is God demonstrating what He can do through you while you are still there.
That is why Christians should be careful about equating difficulty with divine rejection. A difficult environment does not automatically mean:
“God wants me out.”
And a comfortable environment does not automatically mean:
“God wants me here.”
So, Should You Japa?
My answer is:
It depends.
Not on what your neighbour is doing, or on what your former classmate is posting.
Not simply on how bad the economy is, or simply because everyone around you appears to be leaving.
And not because another country has better infrastructure.
It depends on your circumstances, your responsibilities, your opportunities, your preparation, your long-term objectives and, for the believer, God’s leading.
If God is leading you to relocate, go wisely and go prepared.
If God is leading you to remain, do not despise your present location.
If you are uncertain, do not allow social pressure to make the decision for you.
Pray. Think. Research. Count the cost. Seek wise counsel. Examine the opportunity carefully, and then make your decision with conviction.
Before You Japa, Ask Yourself These Seven Questions
1. Why exactly am I leaving?
Is it because of a genuine opportunity?
Or am I simply frustrated?
There is a difference between moving toward an opportunity and running away from discomfort.
Sometimes both are present, but you need to know which one is driving the decision.
2. What exactly am I moving toward?
“Abroad” is not a destination.
A particular country, city, industry, institution, career path and community is.
What exactly will you be doing when you arrive?
3. Have I counted the cost?
Jesus said:
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost…”
— Luke 14:28, KJV
Relocation deserves serious calculation.
Visa status, employment, accommodation, taxes, healthcare, transportation, education, family responsibilities and emergency reserves all matter.
Faith does not cancel wisdom.
4. What happens to my assignment?
Ask yourself:
Does this move strengthen my capacity to fulfil my purpose, or does it pull me away from it?
That question is more important than simply asking where salaries are higher.
5. What happens to my family?
If you are married or have children, your decision does not affect only you.
A relocation decision can affect marriage, parenting, education, support systems and extended family responsibilities.
6. Am I prepared for the reality, not the fantasy?
Do not move to an imagined country.
Move to the real country.
Research the actual cost of living, immigration rules, employment conditions, housing market, taxes and social realities.
7. What is God saying?
After all your research, there remains a question that cannot be answered by Google:
“Lord, what do You want me to do?”
For a Christian, this question should not be an afterthought.
God Can Lead You Across Borders; and He Can Prosper You Where You Are
One of the most liberating truths I have come to understand is this:
Your future is not trapped inside a geographical boundary.
God can lead you to another nation, but He can establish you where you are.
God can give you an idea that works internationally, and can give you a business that serves multiple nations.
God can connect you to people you could never have met in your present environment. He can also make you exceedingly fruitful in the very place you thought was incapable of producing anything for you.
Isaac’s story proves that sometimes the place you are tempted to abandon is the place where God wants to demonstrate His capacity through you.
And Abraham’s story proves that sometimes the place you must leave is the place you must leave.
Therefore, there is no universal answer to the question:
“Should I japa?”
There is only the answer that is appropriate to your assignment, your season and your direction.
The Question Is Bigger Than “Japa or No Japa”
Perhaps we have framed the question incorrectly.
Instead of asking:
“Should I japa?”
Ask:
“Where can I best fulfil what God has entrusted to me in this season of my life?”
That question changes everything.
Sometimes the answer may be Nigeria, or another African country.
Sometimes it may be Europe, America, Canada, or somewhere else entirely.
And sometimes the answer may even change over the course of your life.
The important thing is not to make geography your god.
A better country cannot replace God, neither can a bigger salary replace purpose, or a foreign passport cannot replace wisdom.
And relocation cannot automatically solve a problem that requires transformation.
At the same time, do not be so spiritual that you become irrational.
If a genuine opportunity presents itself, investigate it.
If the system somewhere else works better for what you are trying to accomplish, acknowledge that reality.
If relocating will improve your family’s legitimate opportunities, consider it seriously.
If you need skills, acquire them.
If you need information, get it.
If you need counsel, seek it.
Faith and wisdom are not enemies.
Let God Lead You
The prophet Isaiah captures the heart of this matter beautifully:
“Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”
— Isaiah 48:17, KJV
Notice the two dimensions:
“teacheth thee to profit”
and
“leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”
God is interested in both your fruitfulness and your direction. He can teach you to prosper, and He can lead you where you should go.
The same God who told Abraham to leave told Isaac to stay.
So don’t make your decision merely because everybody is leaving.
And don’t remain merely because you are afraid to leave.
Seek God.
Use your mind.
Do your research.
Count the cost.
Listen for His direction.
Then move or stay, with understanding.
Because ultimately, the greatest question is not, “Where is everybody going?”
It is:
“Lord, where do You want me?”
And when He leads you, you can trust Him to lead you well.
“And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.”
— Isaiah 48:21, KJV
Your prosperity is not merely in a place. Your ultimate security is in God. And your responsibility is to discover where your assignment lies in this season, and have the courage to obey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it wrong for a Christian to relocate abroad?
No. The Bible contains numerous examples of people moving across geographical boundaries. Abraham, for example, left his homeland at God’s instruction, while the broader biblical narrative also contains people living and serving outside their places of origin. The key issue is not simply whether a person relocates, but the purpose, circumstances and direction surrounding the decision.
Does God want everyone to stay in their home country?
No biblical principle establishes that every Christian must remain in their country of birth. Scripture contains both examples of people who moved and people who remained. Christians should therefore consider their individual circumstances, responsibilities, opportunities and God’s leading.
Can relocating abroad be part of God’s plan?
Yes. Abraham’s relocation in Genesis 12 is an obvious example of God directing someone to leave his homeland. Other biblical figures also operated significantly outside their places of origin. However, a foreign destination should not automatically be assumed to be God’s will simply because it offers better economic opportunities.
Does staying in your Country mean a person lacks ambition?
No. Staying or relocating should not be used as a universal measure of ambition. People can build businesses, careers, institutions and meaningful lives in many different environments. The relevant question is whether the person’s decision is wise and aligned with their objectives and responsibilities.
Should Christians pray before relocating abroad?
For a Christian, prayer is appropriate before any major life decision, particularly one involving family, career, finances and long-term direction. Prayer should be accompanied by research, wise counsel and careful planning rather than used as a substitute for them.
Is a better economy enough reason to relocate?
A stronger economy can be a legitimate factor in a relocation decision, but it is only one factor. Immigration status, employment, housing, family considerations, cost of living, career prospects, personal values and long-term goals should also be considered.
Final Thought
Don’t japa because everybody is japaing, and don’t stay because everybody is staying.
There is a difference between following a crowd and following a calling.
The goal is not merely to find a better country, rather it is to find the right place, the right season and the right assignment, and to walk with God in all three.
Image: AI