Step out of your comfort zone.
I was convicted of this a little while ago. If we don't ever step out of our comfort zone and do something challenging then what are we doing? Isn't the whole point of Christianity to love Jesus and tell the world about Him? "Go and make disciples of every nation..." Matthew 28:19. I'm pretty sure most of us would agree that "making disciples" (sharing the Word) is awkward and difficult and, sometimes, incredibly uncomfortable. But should that be reason enough to not? ABSOLUTELY NOT! We are called to spread the Word whether we like it or not. That's what you signed up for when you placed your faith in Jesus.
I heard a guy put it this way once: (Paraphrasing) If you knew, without a doubt, that a bus was coming at someone and if you didn't yell at them to look up and jump out of the way, they were going to die, wouldn't you do all you could to save them--yell, scream, push them out of the way, throw something at them, etc.? That's what we as Christians should be doing to those who do not believe in Christ. We believe that if people do not place their faith in Christ, they will not be saved and will not spend eternity in Heaven, then shouldn't we be doing all we can at all times to help show them the truth--if this is what you truly believe?
Stepping out in faith comes in all shapes and sizes--sharing your faith, forgiving someone who wronged you, going overseas, taking a smaller paycheck to spend more time at home, having an unstable income to work for a nonprofit, moving away from family to help orphans and widows, and so many other things. The coolest and craziest thing about stepping out in faith is that when you do this, it allows God to work in your life and take you places you never thought you'd go. I never thought I'd spend 3 months overseas, but I did. I never thought I'd end up at IUPUC, but I did. I never thought I'd be married by age 22, but I was/am. I never thought I'd be working at a church, but I am. I never thought I'd be instructing fitness classes, but I'm trying. I could go on and on. All of these things took prayer and faith and perseverance. None of what I just mentioned has been easy but, it's funny, the more you step out in faith, the more you can see God work in your life and the more you start to trust him with everything.
As you might have noticed, I mentioned all that and none of it was that I have really stepped out in faith to share my faith. I feel like I've always skirted around this thinking, "Well, I went to Haiti, that's got to count for something even bigger than evangelizing." I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. There are so many things I can step out in faith on, but I have the hardest time evangelizing. I don't want to be that person who shoves their faith down someone's throat. I want that person to come to the conclusion on their own that Jesus is Lord. That's, again, not a good enough excuse not to share my faith. I know, you're hoping I can tell you I figured it out, this is how you evangelize, but I haven't. I have no more an idea than the next person, but I do know that living a Christ-centered life will speak for itself. We still need to talk about our faith, but actions definitely speak louder than words.
I guess, in the end, I'm saying this: step out of your comfort zone and share your faith. So, is it worth the risk--sharing your faith and wholly trusting God? Is it worth stepping out of your comfort zone?
I was convicted of this a little while ago. If we don't ever step out of our comfort zone and do something challenging then what are we doing? Isn't the whole point of Christianity to love Jesus and tell the world about Him? "Go and make disciples of every nation..." Matthew 28:19. I'm pretty sure most of us would agree that "making disciples" (sharing the Word) is awkward and difficult and, sometimes, incredibly uncomfortable. But should that be reason enough to not? ABSOLUTELY NOT! We are called to spread the Word whether we like it or not. That's what you signed up for when you placed your faith in Jesus.
I heard a guy put it this way once: (Paraphrasing) If you knew, without a doubt, that a bus was coming at someone and if you didn't yell at them to look up and jump out of the way, they were going to die, wouldn't you do all you could to save them--yell, scream, push them out of the way, throw something at them, etc.? That's what we as Christians should be doing to those who do not believe in Christ. We believe that if people do not place their faith in Christ, they will not be saved and will not spend eternity in Heaven, then shouldn't we be doing all we can at all times to help show them the truth--if this is what you truly believe?
Stepping out in faith comes in all shapes and sizes--sharing your faith, forgiving someone who wronged you, going overseas, taking a smaller paycheck to spend more time at home, having an unstable income to work for a nonprofit, moving away from family to help orphans and widows, and so many other things. The coolest and craziest thing about stepping out in faith is that when you do this, it allows God to work in your life and take you places you never thought you'd go. I never thought I'd spend 3 months overseas, but I did. I never thought I'd end up at IUPUC, but I did. I never thought I'd be married by age 22, but I was/am. I never thought I'd be working at a church, but I am. I never thought I'd be instructing fitness classes, but I'm trying. I could go on and on. All of these things took prayer and faith and perseverance. None of what I just mentioned has been easy but, it's funny, the more you step out in faith, the more you can see God work in your life and the more you start to trust him with everything.
As you might have noticed, I mentioned all that and none of it was that I have really stepped out in faith to share my faith. I feel like I've always skirted around this thinking, "Well, I went to Haiti, that's got to count for something even bigger than evangelizing." I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. There are so many things I can step out in faith on, but I have the hardest time evangelizing. I don't want to be that person who shoves their faith down someone's throat. I want that person to come to the conclusion on their own that Jesus is Lord. That's, again, not a good enough excuse not to share my faith. I know, you're hoping I can tell you I figured it out, this is how you evangelize, but I haven't. I have no more an idea than the next person, but I do know that living a Christ-centered life will speak for itself. We still need to talk about our faith, but actions definitely speak louder than words.
I guess, in the end, I'm saying this: step out of your comfort zone and share your faith. So, is it worth the risk--sharing your faith and wholly trusting God? Is it worth stepping out of your comfort zone?