Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and are you afraid to share your faith?
If so, you might identify with my friend, Candy. She told me about a dinner party she was at not long ago where one of the guests, (he was an agnostic), was sitting across from her. Candy and this gentleman were enjoying a pleasant conversation, but then, someone brought up politics –uh oh – and it wasn't long before the agnostic started talking about “the separation of church and state.” And he did so quite loudly. Candy wanted very much to say something, but she didn't. She rationalized that it wasn't her dinner party and she didn't want to create an embarrassing scene for the hostess. So Candy said nothing. Later on, she confided that the real reason was plain old fear. She said, “Joni, I'm ashamed to say, but I’m a coward when it comes to talking about my Christian faith.”
And I think she has touched on a nerve here because of all the things that make our palms sweat and knees shake; of all the things that make our heart rate rise and our mouth go dry, it’s witnessing to unbelievers about Jesus Christ and His claim on our lives. Most of us are really good at dropping broad hints, or leaving a Gospel tract with a tip, or inviting a neighbor to a church event, but then we leave the rest to the Holy Spirit, hoping the waitress, or that relative, or our neighbor will just “get the hint.” We have a hard time saying Jesus is the only way and He is your only escape from hell. Tough words, but God tells us not to be afraid of calling Christ our Lord and Savior, because to be afraid makes us a coward. Yikes!
That word alone sounds repulsive, right? And Revelation chapter 21, verse 8 lumps cowards in some pretty awful company. God groups them with sorcerers, murderers, and idolaters. It sounds so scary, but it’s supposed to scare us. For I, too, have felt the same shame Candy felt; I’ve also backed away from sticky conversations and sidestepped obvious opportunities to share my faith. Looking back, I know the Holy Spirit set up those situations for me to give the Gospel, but I didn’t and I'm ashamed to say so. Yes, I, too, have played the part of a coward.
The remedy: You can infuse courage into your convictions by meditating over the following, because think about it—number 1: Jesus wasn't embarrassed to take on your sin and mine; He was no coward going to the cross. Just reflecting on that for a while will give you Spirit-blessed courage, right? And number 2? Meditate on this fact: Your Savior has the heart of a lion and His Spirit lives inside of you. So ask God to give you His heart for this lost world. When He does, you will find His courage. Number 3 (and this is a good one): Practice giving your testimony to a close friend. I mean, how threatening can that be, right?! Memorize as much of your testimony as you can (especially the Bible verses that need to go with it) so you won’t be at a loss for words when asked about your faith. And finally, number 4: Please remember this one thing, that courage breeds courage. When you hang around people who are timid and fearful, guess what, that timidity and fear breed even more fear in you. So spend time with people who are courageous for Christ, and it will inspire courage of your own convictions. Like it says in II Timothy chapter 1, “For God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline.” Hey, if you’d like to learn more, I’ve put it all in a booklet called “Breaking the Bonds of Fear” (I’ve mentioned it the last couple of times we met). And you can get your copy by visiting my radio page today at joniandfriends.org… a place where you’ll always find the courage of Christ.
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P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376