I eagerly expect and
hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that
now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
There have been times in interactions with other people that
I have lacked the courage to speak about God or even give reference to God. At
times I lack the confidence to speak about how God has the power and ability to
carry us through difficulty, aid us in managing a stressful situation, or heal
us in a battle with illness. I am too concerned with how the other person might
react to me witnessing to the power of our Living God. I hesitate for fear that
things might get awkward or weird. I hesitate because of fear that they might
see me as that strange guy that is always talking “church”. In short, I am more
concerned about my own image and well-being than I am with sharing the powerful
message of the Gospel. Yet, it is only through the Gospel that we become
reconciled with God and gain the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is only
through the Gospel that we can pray to our Living God…no matter the
circumstances…and trust that he not only hears our words, but also is willing
and able to respond to us with loving care. It is only the Gospel message that we
can speak hope, security, and confidence into the life of a person that has
been wounded by the broken world that we live in. So it seems absolutely
ridiculous that we would keep such a source of hope and peace to ourselves. We
should be pushing aside anything and everything that gets in the way of
bringing people to the peace that we, the body of believers, have found in the Christ.
As Paul notes above in his letter to the Philippians, we should seek, through
prayer, sufficient courage so that Christ may be exalted in every part of our
being. In our thoughts, our words, and our actions, the Gospel of Christ should
be in the forefront, our driving force in each day. There is simply nothing
more worthwhile and beneficial than living a life that “speaks” the Gospel to
those around us…at times we are led to use words, while at other times we are
called to simply live it. May we never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and
may we daily seek the courage to share that great message with those in need.
To God alone be the glory!
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