I've thought a lot lately about what I'm doing for God, about how my daily life is reflecting on Him, making Him smile or cry, in essence, I've thought a lot about my witness. Ever since God has opened my eyes to see Him for who He is and to love Him (only about 5 months ago), I have been so excited about my faith! I've really understood that there is no greater love, no greater hope, and no other place that I could put my trust other in God. Along with this excitement comes this desire on some level (although admittedly that "level" is really small right now) to share this news with others. I feel like I caught this great thing on sale and I have to tell everyone to run to the store to receive this gift! I'm definitely not one to walk up to people and share my faith or the love of God (aside from trying to treat people with love and kindness), but I should be, we are called to be.
Semi-tangential but relevant side note:
I am thankful that God has begun to make me more aware of my ways, my behavior, and my thoughts. Being aware of these things help me to sort of check myself and listen when the Holy Spirit is grieved by something I do. I am now of a mindset that I do not want anything to impair my witness. I want people to know by my actions that I am a representative of the most high. God has really begun a work in me and He's showing Himself mighty daily as He constantly reminds me when I say something not very nice, think something I shouldn't, snap at someone just because of course when I'm having a "moment" it's that person's fault lol.
Our witness is all we have to share the good news with others, we are to be "imitators of God." (Ephesians 5:1) In that I think that our actions speak louder than out words. How can I tell people about the good news and how will they believe me if I don't look different, if my lifestyle isn't different, if I myself haven't been changed. How can we speak of His amazing glory and immeasurable power if, by the way we live, He can't even change our habits? Those of us who are believers owe it to those who have not yet heard the good news and to fellow believers to wear our salvation on our sleeves so that we can actually share the good news without contradiction or restriction. I don't want to give the impression that I think that I've somehow got this all down and that I don't make mistakes, I MAKE MISTAKES ALL OF THE TIME! I'm broken, forever and always BUT because of God's GRACE He's mending what's broken and ever forming me into the person He created me to be, and that's what a lot of this Christian walk is about, it's an active relationship. There's no stalling, hanging out, just looking around, God is always moving, working and forming you. But we have to be open to that, willing to listen when he calls our names, when He rebukes us, when we fall.
As we live out our faith, live out our relationship with God, we are showing others the great things that He has done for us. If He has done such a great thing by sending His only son to earth to take on all the sins of mankind, how can we not share this news, live our lives in a perpetual state of thankfulness and want to draw near to Him constantly? I'm not sure how we do it, but we do, I have done it, I still do it, and I know a lot of us do, but it's through God's grace and mercy that He will work in us if we are obedient and willing to give up the things that everyone in this world strives towards and look only to Him.
I know those last two paragraphs are somewhat tangential but as I was typing that's the message that came through my fingers, I hope it helps someone, it's helpful even to me. But back to discipleship, this message by Francis Chan really spoke to me about making disciples out of people...I'm praying that as I delve into His word and understand His ways that He will raise me up to be one to make disciples out of men, maybe carrying about my witness is a baby step in that direction.
I hope you are as blessed by this message as I have been.
http://www.cornerstonesimi.com/special/media_player.html (Sermon, 5/23/10 "Love God Love People" Francis Chan)
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