2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Why can we get so fired up about sports (Go Spurs) and become so quiet about the Savior? Why do we so readily share our political views, but hit the mute button when it comes to sharing Jesus? Why do we call all our friends to tell them about a great restaurant we found and don’t make the call to tell them about the Redeemer we know?
Why do we show more passion about the new diet, new golf club, new car, new shoes, new hobby, new vacation spot, new movie, new iPhone app, new whatever…than a relationship with Christ? Why is it easier to talk about anything else…than Jesus?
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power…!” If this is true, why do we often feel so wimpy and powerless when it comes to sharing the most important message in time and eternity?
FEAR – that’s why! We are fearful of what others may say or
think about us. We are fearful we will look like a fool. We are fearful we don’t
measure up as a Christian and they will know. The list goes on….
How do I know this? I lived it, that’s how! I walked in fear
and intimidation about sharing my Jesus for years! I knew it, I hurt because of
and was ashamed by it. Then one fateful day God showed me how He was going to
use pitiful, messed up, beat up, scarred up ME for His purposes. I felt so
unworthy of His love much less thinking He could use me. After all…I knew all
the bad things I had done, all the harsh words I had spoken, all the times I
thought about myself instead of others…yep, I was painfully aware of all that
mess. YET…He loved me anyway…that was the beginning of the new me, the
acceptance of the fact that He loved me anyway! He had plans for me of which I
had no idea. He showed me, that fateful day, how all my scars from wounds, all
my pain, all my trials were going to be used for His glory…and I was
dumbfounded!
Here’s the key…He was able to show me that day because I
took a leap of faith and stepped out in fear asking Him to work through me. I
wanted to be bolder about speaking out for Jesus and knew it was a weakness of
mine so I had asked a friend if I could tag along one day to ‘see’ what she did
in prison ministry. She threw me off the deep end and gave me a small group to
lead that day!! I was so scared, my knees knocked, my gut hurt and I never felt
more inadequate in my life! I kept telling God I wasn’t as knowledgeable as the
other women I was with, I wasn't as ‘studied’ as they were, I wasn’t as holy as
they were, and I didn’t have a clue!
Looking into the faces of the women in white uniforms
sitting around me that morning, I prayed silently to God as I had never prayed
before. As part of the lesson I was to present, I had to share about myself and
how God had worked in my life. It was in that sharing I had my ‘light bulb’
moment and understood that God was using all the cr_ p from my life to reach
these women! They could identify with me BECAUSE I had gone through all that
junk! They actually were open to receiving what I had to say about Jesus
because I knew and had experienced their pain.
That day, God showed me that I was to use my life and my
spiritual growth to reach others. All these years later, I still do. I am not
the most educated Christian you know, nor the most eloquent, nor a deep
theologian. I am simply one woman that is willing to share all my warts
publicly, in writing, to share my Jesus. I share my truth about my Jesus in the
morning…
Be open to something new in your life, ask God to show you how and then hold on!
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