Unfortunately, I’ve never been accused of being timid. If there is one thing that I will shy away from is an uninvited sharing of the Gospel with someone who is not a Christ-follower. Why is that? Do you struggle with this too? I think you must. I know how extroverted and bold I am, and if I am timid, I can imagine that many well-meaning Christ-followers are also reticent. What can we do to better overcome our reluctance to go into a place of uncomfortablity?
We know that God wants us to share of faith. And we know from Scriptures like 2 Timothy 1:7 that we are given a spirit of power to accomplish this. So what holds us back? For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV For me, there are two reasons I don’t share my faith in Christ more often. First, I don’t like to feel uncomfortable. You could say that I am “fat and happy.” Some of you who know me would chime in on that for sure. OK, physically, I’m a little fat. OK. Which is part of the reason why I don’t take more risks sharing the Gospel. I lack a certain amount of self-discipline. Second, I don’t like to make others feel uncomfortable. I want people to think well of me, to like me, and to have a good experience of who I am. To that end, I sacrifice their eternal salvation. That makes sense, right? Perhaps if I had greater love for those who are lost I would take more risk. This scripture is profound. So here is my conclusion and action plan. Perhaps you want to join me in the following three things. I’m going to:
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV May we do this with the love of Christ in our hearts, and the utmost gentleness and respect for others. Just let’s not be so gentle that the Gospel message of Christ is not clear. For me, to fully implement 1 Peter 3:15, I need to know my Bible better and equip myself with a Gospel Track that would help me fully explain Christ’s message. What about you? What actions do you want to take in light of what God may be speaking as you read this devotional? Your aspiring servant, Daniel M. March 08, 2024 POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this daily, transparent “Conversations with Christ” blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. If you ever want to chat, you can reach me at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate, daily conversations with Christ. Comments are closed.
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