Culture Shock and Adapting to a new field, part 4

Austin Gardner • June 24, 2022

Have your thoughts negatively affected you and your attitude?

Ask yourself questions and evaluate the way you have been thinking. Have your thoughts negatively affected you and your attitude? Remember to bring all your thoughts into captivity to the mind of Christ, and then you will successfully overcome culture shock and adapt well to your new field.



  1. Are you fighting your new life?
  2. You are unaware of when it started, but you have slowly become critical, complaining, and condescending in your attitude.
  3. You consider the ministry and the culture a burden you are forced to carry.
  4. You are tired of being the outsider, the minority.

  5. Have you sought to check your attitude and behavior in the light of God's Word and will for your life?
  6. Are you walking in humility? Someone said, "Humility is not thinking of ourselves at all but making God everything.”
  7. Are you learning to laugh at yourself and enjoy serving God and others?
  8. Are you learning patience with others, the culture, your family, and yourself?

  9. Are you open to this new life God has called you to?
  10. Are you trying new foods and new activities?
  11. Are you maintaining a positive, Christ-honoring attitude towards all around you, your family, yourself, God, and His will for your life?
  12. Are you developing new tastes in food, entertainment, environment, etc.?

  13. Are you learning to see life through their eyes, those of your host country?
  14. Have you accepted the truth that they are not different, but you are? You are in their country learning to live their life. You are the outsider until you decide to work at being an insider.
  15. Are you working at building new habits that are better suited for the new place you are living in?
  16. Change your focus to them, their needs, and their lives, and you will have less time to focus on yourself. Stop thinking of yourself as a priority.
  17. Let's treat others the way we want to be treated.


Other interesting quotes and articles about Culture and Culture Shock



Dealing with Culture Shock and Adapting to a new field

Dealing with Culture Shock and Adapting to a new field Part 2

Culture Shock and Adapting to a new field, part 3

Culture Shock and Adapting to a new field, part 4

Be a learner of the new culture

Study Culture

Is One Culture really Superior to Another?

Culture Shock

Symptoms of Culture Shock




By Austin Gardner April 10, 2026
Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit
By Austin Gardner April 9, 2026
Grace cannot be forced. It must be received
By Austin Gardner April 8, 2026
Grace didn’t renovate your past. It relocated your life
By Austin Gardner April 7, 2026
Why the Accuser Doesn't Get the Last Word
By Austin Gardner April 6, 2026
Stop Trying to Impress People
By Austin Gardner April 5, 2026
Your Release Was Written in Someone Else’s Death
By Austin Gardner April 4, 2026
When Your Past Is Chasing You and Grace Opens the Gate
By Austin Gardner April 3, 2026
Why burnout isn’t caused by too much ministry but by carrying a weight God never asked you to bear
Austin Gardner and grandson
By Austin Gardner April 2, 2026
Tired of feeling anxious about the economy? W. Austin Gardner shares how to find true confidence and rest in God's grace, moving from performance to peace.
Austin Gardner teaching on trust
By Austin Gardner April 1, 2026
Tired of performance-based leadership? Discover why spiritual impact comes from resting in God's goodness, not your own strength. Learn the secret of Psalm 147 with Austin Gardner.