February 9, 2023

Rhonda Patterson
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."
Romans 1:16

One thing that has always impressed me about professional athletes is their ability to shake off embarrassing moments (Ex. look up Jose Canseco ball hits head on YouTube). From early on, they are somehow able to shrug off these cringe-worthy incidents and press on to achieve their ultimate dream of competing at the highest level. I believe one main reason for this is because they possess a confidence and belief in themselves that overrides any fear of failure or shame.

When we think about what keeps us from sharing the gospel, it always has to do with our own limitations and fears. We get hit with things such as fear of rejection or that we don’t have enough knowledge of scripture, etc. When we do this, our attention is inward-focused, and it becomes about us rather than Christ. We’re putting our confidence (or lack of it) in the wrong place. When it comes to Jesus, I want to be so focused on Him and His love for the lost world around me that He compels me to push past any obstacle the enemy may be throwing in my way. I want to put my confidence in Christ, not in my own limitations. If God is prompting me to share the gospel with someone, He’ll give me everything I need to do it.

Father, we ask that you would call to our minds someone that you’ve been prompting us to reach out to. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping us as we push through our own hindrances to act in obedience to your call. We trust you with the outcomes, Lord, whether seeds are planted, or someone makes the wonderful decision to follow you. All glory to you, God!