Overcoming fear in sharing your faith

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Celestine Sibley, a columnist for The Atlanta Constitution, once took her three children to a diner for breakfast. It was crowded, so they had to take separate seats along the counter. Her eight-year-old daughter was seated at the far end of the counter. When her food was served, she called down to her mother in a loud voice, “Mother, don’t people say grace in this place?”

A hush came over the entire diner and before Celestine could figure out what to say, the counterman said, “Yes, we do, sister. You say it.” And all the people at the counter bowed their heads while the little girl prayed, “God is great; God is good. Let us thank Him for our food.”

Very often, Christians are afraid to bring their faith to the public forum. They fear being mocked or ridiculed for their beliefs. And while that might happen sometimes, people are generally more willing to listen to what we have to say than we might believe.

Don’t let the fear of rejection keep you from sharing your faith with others. Whether it’s in a diner, over coffee, or on a bus, approach the subject of faith with confidence because people are probably much more willing to listen to you than you might think!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to give you boldness and confidence when it comes to sharing your faith with others.

Questions for Thought

If you’ve shared your faith with others before, how did it turn out? Were they as antagonistic as you might’ve thought they would be?

Who are some people today with whom you can approach the subject of faith in casual conversation?